


Can't Buy Love

by paradoxicallysimplistic



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha!Levi, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arranged Marriage, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Happy Ending, Love Confessions, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Minor Canonical Character(s), Omega Eren Yeager, Omega!Eren, Slow Build, Some Humor, Strangers to Lovers, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2018-09-23 10:18:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 100,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9651560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paradoxicallysimplistic/pseuds/paradoxicallysimplistic
Summary: Most would consider graduating from college liberating. But not Eren Yeager. Immediately out of college, the twenty-two year old omega finds himself at the altar with Levi Ackerman, an older man and alpha. And so, Eren moves from being a prisoner under his father's hand to being ignored by a husband he barely knows. Levi is constantly gone during the day, busy stuck at the office and helping his uncle run the family business.Fate has other plans for the two of them, though, when the Ackerman business empire comes under fire. Ousted from their jobs and stuck with one another, the unwillingly mated pair become reluctant allies, roommates even, as they work together to rebuild their lives.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Salut guys!
> 
> Please don't hate Levi in the beginning for coming off as a jerk/asshole. He's also a victim of circumstance, e.g., Kenny's machination. Neither he nor Eren want to be married, but they don't have much say in the matter. Things will get better for our favorite pair, though, so please bear with me.
> 
> P.S. This one is going to be different from [my previous A/B/O](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6218632), so please disregard any A/B/O facts (e.g., those about mating, etc.) from that one when reading this.

One would think that his wedding day would be one of the greatest and happiest moments of his life, but for Eren Yeager, it was anything but. In fact, he hadn’t really known until a few weeks ago that he was getting married. Since his mother’s death and the presentation of his so-called ‘second’ gender, the twenty-two year old had effectively lost all control of his life. People didn’t get married right out of university – unless they were high school sweethearts or something, and they certainly weren’t – but Eren figured that his father probably wanted him gone. Grisha had been very displeased, and that was putting it mildly, when he had presented as an omega. Even a beta was better than an omega in his father’s eyes. The chance had been less than five in a thousand for males – they certainly had not expected it since he had presented so late in his teens – and the unspoken expectation for him to inherit the family company when he grew up had gone horribly awry.

Grisha would never let an omega take the helm of the company, even if said omega was his own son. Worse, it was impossible for his father to make him disappear or revoke Eren’s parentage without additional scrutiny as he had attended a few company functions as a child. So unfortunately, Eren had his life molded by his father’s hand. The classes he took, his friends, and even his extracurricular activities were all vetted. Those years had been hellish, but at least Eren had survived. If he wasn’t going to take over the company, since he was an omega, then at least, his career path and who he mated should be useful to Yeager Pharmaceuticals at the very least.

His marriage was merely the icing on top of his father’s machinations. His dad had randomly sprung the news in the middle of his exam period; Eren certainly had not anticipated the events that perspired when he was told to dress up that fateful Sunday. He had only heard of his prospective husband on the news or on the streets and the few face-to-face meetings he had with said alpha only unnerved him further. Eren was surprised his father had managed to arrange such a marriage partner for him. It might have been attributed to some biological quirk about how individual alphas and omegas were differentially compatible on a genetic level – his father had mentioned it in passing – but Eren didn’t really care about it. From what he knew, the man was leagues beyond him in terms of ability, a major player in the corporate world, but when he met his prospective husband, Eren was honestly surprised.

At first he thought it was due to the unique circumstances under which they met, but his fiancé had been consistently unfriendly, scarcely talked, and always seemed pissed off. Eren had wondered whether it would change if the meetings hadn’t been under the watchful eye of his father, but they had, which made it very difficult to discern the alpha’s true personality. Unfortunately, even if he wanted to delay the wedding until he knew his fiancé better, Eren really had no say in the matter. And so, despite all his reservations, the brunet found himself standing at the altar with a shorter, dark-haired alpha named Levi Ackerman whom he had only met a few times and getting married to said alpha.

“…With this ring, I wed thee until death do us part.” Levi’s voice was cold and collected, monotonous even, as he repeated the vows the priest had uttered. The alpha’s face was patently flat, giving off the impression that the dark-haired man was displeased with life in general. Then again, across all of Eren’s interactions with the man, his soon-to-be husband only ever showed one emotion, namely, none what so ever. Had it been another person, it would have been painfully obvious how little they wanted to be here, but it was impossible to tell with the surly-looking man standing next to him.

Eren had to repress a shiver as Levi grabbed his hand. Even though the metal was cool to the touch, just like his new husband’s hands, the brunet felt like his soul was being branded for eternity as the wedding band slipped on. No else seemed to notice the tremor as they faced the reverend once more.

“Do you, Eren Yeager, promise to cherish, love, and obey your husband, Levi Ackerman, in sickness and in health?”

Levi Ackerman. It was weird thinking of the thirty-year-old alpha by his first name when they didn’t know each other. Eren could have easily come up with a nickname for the midget, but chances were that he would be risking his life by doing so. They had barely talked and most of what Eren knew of his soon-to-be husband were through news and his father’s ramblings on how fortunate Eren was to marry into the Ackerman family. Honestly, he didn’t feel lucky, and he could only imagine that the older man liked the arrangement less than he did. Unfortunately, Eren had little say in the matter.

His father had expounded time and time again that he was lucky to have been discovered to be very compatible with his soon-to-be husband. Eren had no idea how his dad had come to know such things, but he figured it had something to do with the blood samples his father took every so often. The brunet had only a slight inkling of what his father meant by compatibility, but he was sure it had something to do with their scents or sex or some mating thing. Even if they were biologically compatible, however, Eren certainly did not feel it whenever he was around the alpha.

One might consider his husband to be mildly attractive in a short, dark, and intense kind of way, but Levi Ackerman was certainly not attractive in the classical sense. Levi’s eyes were just a little too cold and flinty to be considered warm. His mouth was always pursed into a thin line, and his nose was slightly on the small side making him seem that much younger. And of course there was his height, or massive lack thereof. Eren had quickly learned not to mention his prospective husband’s height; that was one of the few things that he had been able to get some reaction from Levi, and not a pleasant one at that. Paired with his pale complexion, he had almost believed Levi to be a vampire on their first meeting given how the man’s hands were cool to the touch and how he seemed to disdain garlic (for reasons relating to the smell). It would be much easier for Eren to get along with his future mate if Levi was a touch more affable or he smiled a little more, but he had quickly learned that it was an unrealistic hope. It seemed like the man’s stony demeanor was innate and unchanging.

“I do.” Swallowing any remaining reservations, the glares of a thousand eyes bored back at him as he opened his mouth. Eren could feel the weight of his words tightening a noose around him as he vowed away his life, his freedom, and any chance of escape. He and Levi had never made any plans for the future, let alone even talked about it. He had no job or life savings, no thanks to Grisha, which meant he would be dependent on his husband until god knows when. Heart palpitating, all Eren could do was wish for the best and prepare for the worst, though, even that might have been a little bit of a stretch given how things were going.

Eren had long since accustomed to hiding behind his smile, pretending that he was doing what he wanted and enjoyed life. It was doubtful that his paper marriage would change that. There was no guarantee what would happen to him if he said ‘no’ and refused to marry Levi Ackerman. For one thing, his father certainly would not be pleased. Grisha had already informed him that this was his one chance to prove he wasn’t a failure and vowed some vicious manner of punishment if he didn’t comply. It certainly did not help that Eren was dependent on his father for financial support or that he still lived at home, since his dad had refused to let him get a job or anything.

“Now please repeat after me. I, Eren Yeager, promise to cherish, love, and obey my husband, Levi Ackerman, in sickness and in health. With this ring, I wed thee until death do us part.” The reverend intoned in the luxuriously decorated chapel.

Even though he was not religious by any means, Eren wished he had at least been able to enjoy the architectural feat from the 1800’s. For something so old, it was very well-kept. The few glimpses he had of the neo-gothic structure were amazing. He was no expert on religion, architecture, or churches, but even he was able to appreciate the church in what little time he had spent in it. It was awe-inspiring, seeing the gorgeous spires one could easily fall to their deaths on. Even then, Eren found it strange that they were getting married in a church, when he certainly wasn’t religious – God had abandoned him and his mother a long time ago, even if God even existed – and Levi didn’t seem the type. Either way, he had had barely any say in the wedding even if he were one of the main participants in such an event.

“I-I, Eren Yeager, promise to cherish,” Eren’s eyes darted to his soon-to-be husband. It was too late for regrets now. He had made his choice, or rather, it had been made for him, over five years ago when he had presented as an omega. Still, he would try to make the best of his marriage, even if it was with a complete stranger.

“…love, and obey my husband, Levi Ackerman.” He barely knew the man, but it wasn’t like he could say otherwise anymore. At one point, Eren had foolishly hoped he could learn to understand and like the man he was marrying, but that was quickly quashed upon seeing how the alpha resembled a robot. For what it was worth, though, he didn’t hate Levi… at least not yet. Truly, it was a more a matter of not understanding the man he was being wedded to. In many respects, Eren doubted Levi was enjoying the process either, not that it showed much. Still, he hoped that they might one day grow to be friends; they were stuck with each other after all.

“With this ring, I wed thee until death do us part.” The tremor returned as he grasped the man’s pale hand and began to slide the ring on. Eren only hoped Levi did not realize how much of a nervous wreck he was. Naturally, though, nothing showed on Levi’s face. Even though the band was simply of paltry material significance, slipping it on felt weightier than it seemed. In many ways, his fate was sealed now.

“By the powers invested in me, I now pronounce you Levi and Eren Ackerman. You may now kiss.” Turning to face his now-husband, he stared at the grey eyes which gave nothing away. Eren found it amusing how it was the case that was that his alpha of a husband was shorter than he was, but he quickly killed the thought. Lowering his head, Eren felt cool lips briefly meet his and he was suddenly inundated in his husband’s sandalwood and pine scent. Levi’s lips were soft and warm against his and Eren felt a slight stirring in his belly before they swiftly parted once more. Even then, it was devoid of everything people talked about: passion, affection, and most importantly, love.

Pasting on a fake smile, Eren looped his arm around his husband’s and pretended to be happy as they walked down the aisle, nodding and waving at all the well-wishers. It was the least he could do to form an amicable impression on people who could very well be his future family and colleagues. Levi’s facial expression had not changed a bit throughout the entire affair. For as long as Eren had known the dark-haired alpha, which totaled only a couple of weeks, he had never seen Levi with any other expression than the one he was wearing now. He had seen pictures of the man smiling in front of a camera, but those were no doubt for publicity reasons, and there certainly weren’t any paparazzi invited to the marriage.

The whole thing, their marriage, was a farce. He had been sold by his father to the highest bidder. Eren wasn’t completely sure of all the details, but in exchange for a bailout from the Ackerman corporate empire, he was to be wedded to the President’s nephew, who was presumed to one day take charge and run things. According to Grisha Yeager, omegas had no business running a corporation. They were physically weaker and lacked the dominance required to rule. And there was the issue with their seasonal heats, of course, making them poor candidates for important tasks. In his father’s eyes, all an omega was good for was breeding. More specifically, bonded omegas could only conceive with their mate, which ensured the child’s parentage was none other than one’s mated alpha.

It was not unusual to see half-siblings or bastard children in this day and age, but having such bastard children were frowned upon in the business world. Even though the world had long since moved on from an age of nobility and monarchs, the importance of blood lineage was very much alive at the highest echelons of the corporate ladder. The blue blood, snobbish mindset was gradually fading, but there were some, such as Kenny Ackerman, who very much believed that money should stay within the bloodline, which was why Eren found himself wedded to a man he did not know at all.

Reining in his desire to flee from the situation, the omega wondered what would become of him now. It was strange that Levi had chosen him for a mate when there were likely many more eligible omegas out there, but Eren wasn’t complaining. If it wasn’t Levi Ackerman, it could very well be someone else who was more or less the same as the dark-haired man next to him. At the very least, he wouldn’t have to life with Grisha under the same roof anymore.

The flower petals raining on them as they walked towards the car on the glorious summer day belied Eren’s enthusiasm for the entire affair. His heart ached at the reminder of his mother. Flowers were always Carla’s favorite thing. All types of flowers from roses to the common daisy were treated with the same love and care. More often than not, there would be a small vase of fresh flowers in the living room that was changed every few days. While she was still alive, their garden flourished with blossoms of different colors in the summer, but it was now in a much more sorry state with no one to take care of it. Eren tried, but it was difficult when his father was hell-bent on making sure he had good grades and not wasting his time.

Those had been the good days when he had a father and mother who loved him and could run around like any little boy around the neighborhood. Eren had promised her that he would live healthily and happily, but that had been difficult over the last couple of years. Things had been bearable even after presenting as an omega while his mother was still around. The tension was still there, but it was really only after her death that his father had turned on him.

Glancing at his husband who had the courtesy to open the car door for him, Eren got into the vehicle with Levi closely behind. The door slammed shut behind the alpha making the cramped space seem that much smaller. The sounds of the crowds were dampened as Levi opened his mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ THIS NOTE BEFORE MOVING ON.   
>  **Aspects of this plot, especially their arranged marriage and the consummation is inspired off how arranged marriages between businesses, companies, or even the nobility (e.g., Victorian England, Middle Ages, historically) used to work. They weren't for the sake of love or anything. This chapter was written off this premise. It might seem almost abusive to some, and I'm certainly not condoning abuse in any way, but there _is_ a power dynamic here (namely that Eren was practically pawned off by his dad) that will be addressed as the work progresses. Further, one of the subplots in this piece is Eren finding himself and obtaining his own wings of freedom in a sense.**
> 
> Oh, and I finally got to use the phrase 'kumba-fucking-ya'! Been wanting to do that for a while now.
> 
> * * *

“Listen up, brat.” Levi started, before getting rudely interrupted by the _brat_.

“I-I’m not a brat!”

“Tch, you’re just some shitty brat I got stuck with.” Ignoring the protest, he continued speaking, talking over any further objections Eren had. Just because he was wedded to a brat, didn’t mean he would treat the omega any differently. Levi could see the mutinous look in the omega’s eyes, belying the previously demure and obedient guise Eren had put up, as the brat retorted. Eren was admittedly easy on the eyes, which was likely one of the reasons Kenny had saddled him with the omega, but that didn’t mean Levi would allow his _husband_ – the word made him cringe – walk all over him.

It was all that bastard Kenny’s idea after all, and now he was stuck dealing with the consequences. “Now we both know this whole marriage is bullshit, but unfortunately, my ass and your ass are fucked if we don’t do this. I don’t know you, you don’t know me. Don’t expect me to treat you any differently because we’re married. Understood?”

“O-okay.” After a small pause, Eren nodded.

Levi could smell a whiff of fear and anger emanating from the brunet, but he promptly ignored it. There was a small twinge of discomfort as he pushed aside his inner alpha’s urge to comfort the omega. His life was already sold to the highest fucking bidder – _fuck you, Kenny_ – he didn’t need to deal with emotional blackmail, intended or not, on top of that. The sooner the brat learned to deal with him, the better off they would all be.

Even though Levi had been living with his uncle since the better part of his teen years, there were many facets of Kenny Ackerman he didn’t understand. Despite it only comprising of three members – Kenny, his second-cousin or something, Mikasa, and himself – theirs wasn’t a close-knit family. There was no ‘I love you’s,’ ‘welcome back,’ or ‘goodnights.’ The closest they ever did anything remotely family-like was when they celebrated his, and later Mikasa’s, twenty-first birthdays. Even then, there were no personal touches to it at all. Kenny had staged both events as large corporate parties with the sole purpose of officially introducing them to society. And now there was his blasted wedding and the fucking reception that followed.

If it were up to him, Levi would have gone for a simple civil ceremony in the courthouse, signed the papers, and gotten the fuck out of there. Instead he was being forced to play dress-up and socialize with a bunch of cocksuckers who he had never met before, asskissers who only wanted to be friends so they could use him, and retards who thought he couldn’t see passed their blatant lies. His wedding wouldn’t even be the main show; it was just an excuse for Kenny to show off the wealth and power of the Ackerman family.

Levi could only hope the brat knew how to comport himself during such a situation. Eren had held up decently well during the marriage interviews, and Levi only hoped he could do the same now. Making a good impression would be important. Most who knew him wouldn’t expect him to play the gracious host, but he knew the brat was able to smile – Eren had done so when they had met before – and doing so today would be crucial. Even if they didn’t get along, they would now be expected to attend these things together. Playing a happy couple when they clearly weren’t made Levi want to puke, but he was adept at hiding his displeasure behind a mask of indifference now.

Blame his damn uncle for setting everything up and ruining his life. Then again, it wasn’t like Levi had much of a life outside work and he certainly wasn’t seeing anyone, but that didn’t mean he wanted to get married so soon and to a brat who looked like he was barely out of high school. He had barely past entered thirties when the cranky bastard began dropping hints about begetting an heir and so on.

Levi should have known it was coming. His gut had been telling him that something was up, but it was difficult to tell when he didn’t speak to Kenny unless it was about business. The bastard had already colluded with others to get him to attend a few social calls with heads of other companies for the sole purpose of matchmaking, and Levi had considered him fortunate to avoid tying the knot thus far. Yeager Pharmaceuticals wasn’t the largest or even biggest name in the health and drug field by a long shot, which made Levi wonder the actual reason why Kenny had specifically chosen Eren Yeager as his mate. Most likely, it had to do with the fact the brat was a _male_ omega. A female omega would have been a disgraceful reminder for Kenny of his sister, Levi’s mother, who had eloped with her mate – an alpha cut from the wrong cloth and whom she had met in a bar or somewhere – only to be left behind, pregnant, after he had found out Kenny had cut her off from the family money.

On some level, Levi didn’t necessarily fault his uncle for his planning for the future of the family, but that didn’t mean he was happy about it. Even if he never planned to marry, let alone mate, anyone, at the very least, Levi wanted the right to choose. But even that had been stripped away when Kenny had arranged his partner.

To him, Eren Yeager, was merely a brat who was merely out of college; too naïve and inexperienced in the ways of the world. He was still in his diapers when Levi had been taken in by his uncle and molded under Kenny’s dictatorial hand. And too emotional by far given how easily Eren fluctuated between brimming with anger or trembling in fear in a mere span of seconds. The younger male certainly didn’t know the intricacies of business, nor the responsibilities involved in being one of the Ackermans.

The Ackerman Group had originally started in France over a hundred years ago with textiles, but over the years the business had expanded. Now they were headquartered in the States with strings in everything from biotech and healthcare to finance and manufacturing to consumer goods. It felt more like a conglomerate of businesses which covered a portion of a wide swath of industries. One might have expected the empire to be publicly owned, but the majority of shares were still owned in-house by the governing board and his uncle. Even though Levi was the one everyone presumed would be taking over the enterprise, Kenny didn’t trust him enough with the reins of the company. Hell, Levi didn’t even know how the bastard kept up with everything.

Kenny had his hands tied up with too many strings and Levi had only seen a small part of it. Blood or not, the bastard didn’t trust anyone, including his nephew. In fact, in some aspects, Levi was even more precarious of a position that some of his uncle’s associates. Being too competent and well-liked amongst his colleagues would only make those associates turn to him and plot to dethrone Kenny. His uncle was already hated by many, often considered ruthless and unfriendly, and despite Levi being considered cold and unemotional by most, there were some who considered him a small step up from his uncle. Even if people respected the public face of Kenny Ackerman, that didn’t mean his friends liked him. Hell, even his family didn’t like him.

Briefly, the alpha wondered whether his mate was aware of all the backstabbing and politicking going on behind the scenes. Judging from how shocked Eren had been at the altar – a shock that had been quickly veiled – Levi doubted Eren knew what he had gotten himself into. Facing the brat once more, Levi figured it would be good for both their sakes to clear the air in terms of what was going to happen.

 

* * *

 

“Now we both know this whole marriage is bullshit, but unfortunately, my ass and your ass are fucked if we don’t do this. I don’t know you, you don’t know me. Don’t expect me to treat you any differently because we’re married. Understood?”

“O-Okay…” Eren nodded. His new husband scared him a little. It wasn’t the height – Levi’s height was far below the average height for an alpha – but there was something in that demeanor that promised hell if he didn’t agree. Grisha was scary, but Levi was downright terrifying with how cold he sounded. There was a reason the alpha was well respected in the world he worked in. Normally one would never think that someone so short could be much of a threat, but judging from the look in those silvery dark eyes, Levi could cut a man down twice his size and not blink once while doing so.

Even if they still had papers to sign – they would be making a quick detour before the reception – Eren was more or less a married man now. He had vowed to love, cherish, and obey the man sitting next to him, but none of that was true in the slightest. It certainly wasn’t for Eren and it did not seem like the case for Levi either.

“However, our guests don’t know any of that. For all they know, we could be disgustingly in love. At the very least, they’re going to expect us to be friendly with each other. I’m not going to fawn over you, that would be disgusting and fucking weird, so I’m counting on you not to fuck this up. There are some important people who will be attending our reception.”

“Got it. I’ll try my best.” Keeping his voice neutral, Eren tried to refrain from asking too many questions. Grisha had given him a vague rundown of what would happen, but he felt very much in the dark about the specifics. There was no doubt powerful people who would try and cozy up to him now that he was affiliated with the Ackerman Group, which made him even more nervous. Eren had dealt with the type before, but those incidents were few and much less important than the upcoming ones. He certainly did not want to mess up and ruin any hope of having a working relationship with his husband.

Since he laid eyes on the man, it felt as though there was a dark cloud lingering around his husband. One that was tenfold more intense than what he had felt around Levi before. There was no predicting what the alpha would say or do.

Not knowing what do to, Eren kept silent as their driver pulled up to their next destination.

 

“Shi –!” Eren barely managed to stop himself from stumbling by grabbing onto the arm of his husband. Regaining his balance, he was surprised to find that Levi’s forearm was fairly toned and muscular under his clothes.

So far things had been going along as well as they could be expected. They had signed their marriage certificate, gone and greeted some guests, and now Eren was hanging around his husband feeling very much like a trophy wife. It was easy to see distinguish those who were Levi’s associates and those who wanted to be in the man’s inner circle. Even though they had spent the first half hour making rounds around the room and accepting congratulations, he barely remembered anyone’s names. One or two were his father’s friends, but the vast majority were associates of or tangentially related to the Ackermans. It was a miracle how Levi managed to remember all of their names or at least make it seem like he did even when they were newly introduced.

“Oi, brat. How long are you going to latch onto me for?” Even if the man wasn’t openly scowling, the harsh whisper told him everything he needed to know. Eren flinched as if scalded, immediately removing his arm from his husband’s. “Umm… sorry!”

Looking askance, he began fiddling with the glass of champagne in his hand, surreptitiously glancing around the room. There was an annoyed sigh before Levi turned back to converse with his business partners.

Standing awkwardly to the side, Eren watched as his new husband made shop talk with several of the other well-dressed attendees. He supposed that was why there were so many people at the reception. They were there because they worked with either his father or the Ackermans. He certainly did not know any of them, aside from his father, Levi, and Kenny Ackerman.

Despite being the center of attention and being surrounded by so many people, Eren couldn’t help feel even more alone. Of the two closest individuals – his father and his husband, he supposed – one had tossed him into this situation, while the other was acting as though he never existed. In fact, most people seemed to treat him as though he were an accessory to his husband. A part of him was angry for being treated as though he didn’t matter, but it was probably for the best. Even with his degree in business, Eren doubted whether he could hold an intelligent conversation in front of his husband.

All he had done so far was shake a few hands, smile, and thank people for their congratulations. Eren was beginning to feel exhausted even though he hadn’t done much. A peek at his watch told him he had only been there an hour and that there were three more hours to go before the reception ended. He only hoped it would end much sooner than that.

Masking a sigh of frustration, he turned and smiled at the couple who came up to congratulate him. It was one task he seemed to be doing much better than Levi at least. Making small talk with the pair, Eren was envious of the love and support the older couple had as they walked away with the man’s arm around his wife’s waist and smiles of encouragement on their faces. He could only hope to have that with Levi someday. His husband had barely touched him throughout the whole affair, and only when it was necessary.

Turning back to nod and smile at Levi’s conversation partner, there was a level of gaiety he didn’t feel as Eren zoned most of it out. Having spent his life as an outsider watching others, it was a novel experience to be in the center of attention. He wasn’t sure whether he liked it or not, but it was different to say the least. Although it was stressful constantly being _on_ the whole time, it was surprising how fake people sounded as a whole. The deadness in their eyes felt the same as when his dad praised him in front of others or talked about Eren as though he believed his son was something better than dirt. If this was what is was like being in the spotlight, he didn’t want any part of it.

Feeling some intense stares from across the room, he turned around to catch sight of a pair of females glaring angrily at him. Pasting on a polite smile, they only turned up their nose, refusing to meet his eyes, as they walked away. Throughout the day, people had falsely congratulating him that he was momentarily confused. Eren was certain he had never met them before in his life. Frowning, it took a moment for him to realize why they had been glaring at him.

Quietly chuckling to himself, Eren hadn’t realized how upsetting his marriage into the Ackerman family had been to more than just himself. Naturally there were the business partners who wouldn’t be able to offer their sons and daughters up as marriage partners, but Eren hadn’t expected people to be jealous of him. Hell, he hadn’t realized that people actually _liked_ Levi, but it might have been because they were enamored with an illusion and not the real man behind the mask. The situation was oddly amusing to Eren as he mused over his own unique circumstances. He would happily trade his life with one of Levi’s admirers, fans, whatever they were – the marriage wasn’t his choice – and it wasn’t like they had been hiding the fact that it was partially a business transaction, but it had been Levi’s guise for them to pretend like they actually liked each other.

The minutes gradually ticked away and after what seemed like forever, Eren finally found himself alone with his husband in the hotel hallway about to enter the room. His face ached from the smiling and his brain hurt from trying to be so friendly. All he wanted to do was retreat back into his own room and forget everything that had happened, but even that was impossible. His room wasn’t his own anymore – arrangements had already been made to deliver his stuff to the Ackermans – and there really wasn’t anyplace Eren could call home anymore.

“Let’s get this fucking thing over with…” Those words, spoken in a tone of finality as Levi sighed and opened the door, were the first Levi had uttered to him since the reception ended. Eren had merely followed his husband after a keycard had been handed to them by one of the hotel staff.

“What thing?” Eren had not quite processed the words as quiet footsteps followed him in.

“What do you think happens after a wedding, brat? We’re not going to sing kumba-fucking-ya, Yeager.”

The door clicked quietly behind them after they entered the room. There was the sound of the electronic lock setting and seeing the California king mattress in the middle with a small bouquet of red roses in the middle made Eren suddenly aware of the situation. He was alone with his new husband in a room specially arranged for them to mate in.

“Oh, _oh_ …” Eren stopped in his tracks and stared straight as his husband’s back. The tension between them was palpable and it made him a little more nervous than he had been. Even if they were married, at some level he had operated under the assumption that they wouldn’t be consummating their wedding, or even getting mated immediately. “But…” he began, before stopping as he tried to find the right after being faced with the harsh reality of his situation. Levi had already expressed his displeasure, so there was still a chance they could both walk away without screwing up their lives forever. “I mean… I thought…”

“You think we can just go to bed, sleep, and go on about our merry fucking way? Your dad and my fucked up uncle both expect _something_ from tonight.” His husband made a beeline for the bed, immediately grabbing the bouquet of roses and walking over to the trash where he tossed it in. Eren was mildly dismayed at the sight of perfectly flowers going to waste – his mom’s favorite flower had been roses – but of course, the sentiment behind those flowers was a little difficult for him to stomach.

“Y-you mean mating…?”

“At least for a brat you have half a brain,” Eren scowled at the quiet mutter, which was clearly not intended for his ears. The alpha sighed loudly, sitting down on the edge of the enormous mattress and faced him. It made Levi seem that much shorter, but no less commanding. Grey eyes pierced him as the dark-haired male ran a hand through his hair, disheveling those pristine raven locks. “We both know what this night is for and what will happen if it doesn’t.”

“I-I guess…” Eren stuttered, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he would be having sex, let alone bottoming for another man.

“Tch, you’re in heat right now, aren’t you?”

“Uhh… y-yes…” Something must have shown on his face as he blanched. Eren had taken suppressants earlier before the vows, so he thought they were going to wait until another time. He had known it was coming – there was no point in pairing with an omega otherwise – but he had expected something less sudden. It was clear neither of them was looking forward to it, but Eren had hoped it might have happened while both parties were more willing. Having it laid out in no uncertain terms was a whole different dimension of shock.

He had heard somewhere that heats spent with one’s mated partner could last anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days and the duration could be even longer the first time since an omega’s body was adjusting to having a mate and changing at some biological level. A few hours he could stomach, but he flinched at the prospect of having sex for _days_. Eren really did not want to be stuck in a room with only the alpha for company for his heat if it was going to be several days long.

Unfortunately, what Levi had said about his father and uncle-in-law’s expectations were true. If they left the room without being mated, it would be a bad sign and could very easily make his life even more hellish than it had been before.

“Look Yeager, I don’t care what Kenny or your dad thinks, nor do I care for your opinion on having brats, but there will be none of that. They’re filthy and disgusting.” Levi tugged off his cravat and began unbuttoning his shirt, completely ignoring Eren as he did so. Seeing the alpha disrobe only made reality hit Eren that much more as the blood drained from his head. From the tone of Levi’s voice, it sounded as though his new husband thought of him – or maybe it was the situation? – as dirt. “And before I forget, I know this arrangement sucks, but I do not condone cheating. Even if you can’t get pregnant after being mated, if I catch you sleeping with someone else, I will end you myself. Am I clear?”

“O-okay…” He gulped nervously. The issue of extramarital affairs had never even crossed his mind; he had been too caught up with the fact that he was now married and would be sleeping with his husband within minutes. Instead of the prison at home, it seemed like Eren had merely traded it for a slightly more upscale prison with his jailer being his new husband. Briefly, he contemplated asking Levi whether and how the man would go about relieving his sexual needs and if the alpha already had a partner, but the thought was blown away when he realized his husband was undoing his pants. “Umm… why are you stripping?”

“You want to fuck in your clothes? That’s disgusting.” Levi shot him a disgusted look as he tugged off his pants, folded it, and placed it on top of a nearby chair along with his shirt.

Following Levi’s direction, Eren removed his jacket and placed it on the side. Gulping nervously, he tried to calm himself down as he undid the first few buttons of his dress shirt. They were both men and Levi would see him naked by the end of the night anyways, Eren reasoned to himself. He was on the third button when he felt a nearby presence. Looking up, he froze in his tracks seeing Levi standing in front of him wearing a pair of boxers.

Levi was much more toned than Eren had expected, abs clearly defined on the pale surface. The sculpted definition seemed so much at odds with Levi’s light skin tone that Eren felt like he was looking at a marble statue. The jocks he had known who prided themselves on being ripped and showed off in the locker room couldn’t compare to the alpha in front of him. They might have been taller and bigger than Levi, but there was something about the alpha which emanated raw masculinity.

Unable to help it, Eren darted his eyes down to the bulge that was barely hidden by the grey boxers Levi was wearing. He couldn’t see much, but judging from the just-concealed bump, there was no doubt his husband was very much an alpha male. The thought had him reeling as his inner omega began to respond to the alpha in front of him. Eren couldn’t help it as his breathing picked up a little, feeling the familiar sensations of his heat flaring up once more.

“Tch, just hurry up, Yeager.” The voice interrupted his thoughts and Eren looked away quickly. Face flushed with embarrassment at being caught staring, hehurriedly took off his shirt and pants, attempting vainly to make himself seem as small as possible. Levi seemed completely unfazed by the fact he was nearly naked in front of Eren as he crooked his finger. “Get over here, brat.”

Timidly, he stepped towards the shorter, but no less intimidating, male. Eren wasn’t sure what to do. He knew mating had something to do with biting and marking in the middle of his heat, but Grisha Yeager had forbidden him from learning anything of the sort, aside from the fact that he was to stay away from all alphas. In fact, there really wasn’t anyone he could consider his friend. He had a few friends back in elementary and middle school, but his father had made sure he severed any and all of them after high school.

They had timed the wedding to match the onset of his heat, and the suppressants had begun to wear off by the time they had left the reception. In spite of all that had conspired between them, there was something almost calming about being next to an alpha. The omega inside Eren just wanted to crawl up and be next to the readily available alpha, which also happened to be his husband. But as Levi said, this was a business arrangement, and nothing more than that.

The rest of it proceeded rather strangely in Eren’s mind. After stripping, there had been a lot of physical contact in a way he had never expected. On a visceral level, he had felt _something_ he had never felt before. It was difficult to classify it as pleasure or pain, since there had been a few times he had felt rather uncomfortable during the process, but there were also times his body seemed to shudder in delight.

The mix of alcohol, nerves, his heat, and general lack of knowledge wasn’t doing him any favors either. There was too much for him to keep up with. The sudden burst of pain against his neck, however, was clear. Even if the mark would fade, the stinging on the back of his neck was a reminder that he was mated, for better or worse, now. In the future, his body would recognize Levi’s as his mate, the consequences of which would only time would tell. Eren found himself already strangely attuned to the alpha’s scent, unconsciously seeking it out as he breathed, even if he had no reason to seek Levi out. At least with the contraceptives at work, he knew he wouldn’t get pregnant this time. Eventually when it was over, his _husband_ rolled off, walking to the bathroom to take a shower, tossing him a wet towel in the process, and finding some spot on the lounge chairs to sit.

After wiping himself off, he dragged himself into the shower to wash away the remnants from his body. Eren had never gone through a heat without medicine and it felt like his skin was much too sensitive, every droplet of water seemed to stimulate his nerves. Heat began unfurling through his body once more as he thought back to what transpired. Pressing his hand against the wet tiles, Eren bit his lip and tried to calm himself down from feeling the pull of his heat. There was no need for them to continue now that they had fulfilled the original intent of this entire thing: mating.

Drying himself off, he walked back, weak-legged, seeing a familiar pill and glass of water on the nightstand. Levi must have obtained some and put it there, since it hadn’t been there before. Taking the pill on the table, a reminder that he had only stopped the suppressants for purposes of forming the mating bond, Eren got back into the now-cold bed wondering for the umpteenth time what he had gotten himself into. He had watched enough movies and lived long enough to know that life wasn’t some fairytale romance flick where Levi and him would fall passionately in love and vow their undying love to one another. His neck still stung from where Levi had marked him, but the dull throb didn’t bother him much, merely reminding him of what had conspired earlier that night.

Feeling a little more comfortable in his own skin now that the medicine began to kick in, he spared a brief glance over at his husband who seemed working on the laptop. Eren wondered if and when Levi would join him, but the thought quickly melted away as exhaustion over took his body. Shifting quietly in the darkness, trying to make himself comfortable in the presence of a mere stranger who was coincidentally bound to him for life, Eren closed his eyes and wondering whether it was all a dream. The entire day had been far too surreal for him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you guys were upset with the previous chapter and I just want to say that I'm sorry you feel that way, but arranged marriages aren't all rainbows and unicorns. There's a reason they're called "arranged." Things _will_ change between them! We're only at the beginning and not even the real "Levi/Eren" focus of the relationship yet.
> 
> * * *

Instead of traveling going anywhere on a honeymoon or spending some private time together after the wedding, the morning after the wedding, Eren had found himself moved straightaway to a giant house the Ackerman family owned on the outskirts of the city. All his stuff had already been delivered, no thanks to his dad, and Eren found himself having a room that was five times larger than the one he had had growing up. His husband had left soon after for work and the omega found that he had too much free time on his hands.

Married life was _different._ It was like Eren had wandered into a stranger’s life. One of those TV dramas full of glitz and glamour, where one lived in a mansion and was waited on waited on hand and foot. He was surrounded by pieces of art easily worth a few thousand each, antique vases which cost more than all the money he ever had, and dined on silverware that was _actual_ silver. There were serving staff for every meal, maids to clean the house, and even a butler, or rather the head servant as he was called.

The fact that there were servants was already crazy, but the size of the house, or rather, mansion, was another level of insanity. If it hadn’t been the servants who were more often than not busy cleaning the building, he would have gotten lost at least a dozen times within the first week. Eren certainly wasn’t used to having servants obeying his every whim, and he most certainly did not see the need for anyone to own such extravagance, such as the ballroom, banquet room, two libraries, and an entire slew of extra bedrooms. Having so much space was a little excessive since there were only four people living in the mansion: Kenny, Levi, Levi’s cousin and Kenny’s niece, Mikasa, and Eren himself. There were a few live-in servants, but they stayed in separate quarters in another building half a mile down the road and it seemed like business partners occasionally dropped by.

Eren found Mikasa Ackerman an interesting person to be around. Like her uncle and cousin, she had the same flinty grey eyes and dark hair, though Kenny’s was more grey than black now. It might have been the Asiatic features or because they were the same age, but even though she was quieter, Mikasa felt more welcoming than the other two Ackermans. They didn’t talk much, but it was more than what could be said for the others on the estate. Kenny had all but ignored his presence and Levi had immediately left for work. As a friendly gesture he had given her a red scarf not knowing what she liked and Mikasa had taken to it much more than he had expected. She wore it everywhere with her. She was really the only person to talk to him in any capacity and even then she didn’t talk much.

Most days, he was left to his own devices. There was the occasional evening event he needed to attend with Levi, but during the daylight hours, he was left alone. He was used to being alone. In that regards, life wasn’t that different from when he had been living with his father.

However, what he did in his free time was vastly different. Eren found himself watching Netflix or whatever caught his fancy, sometimes experimenting in the kitchen, jogging outside, or exploring the estate grounds. Grisha had forbidden him from getting a job and after four years of attending lectures and studying, suddenly having nothing to do was both a blessing and curse. It was strange having so much time on his hands and he had enjoyed sleeping in the first week, but he quickly became bored. Eren supposed he could have asked one of the servants for conversation, but they were frequently deferent, if not scared of him. Even Mikasa worked for the Ackerman group and the only friend he had, Armin, was studying law in another state, which left him with too much time on his hands and little direction on how to spend it.

He was unused to such freedom and had considered buying something, such as the latest gaming console, now that he had _some_ pocket money. When Eren had casually asked about purchasing the newest Xbox, Levi had made some offhand remark which had prompted him to check the new bank account which had been opened for him. His eyes had bulged at the number of zeros and he had had to triple check just to make certain he wasn’t hallucinating. It was astronomical compared to what he was used to having and more than ten times the amount which was contractually obligated in the prenuptial agreement.

However, he had soon realized that a good portion of that money had gone to upgrading his wardrobe to something benefitting a person in his station. Eren had quickly picked up on the tacit understanding that he would outfit himself properly both inside and outside the house.  Although no one said a thing to himself directly – aside from the first time Levi told him to change and dress up – Eren was slowly realizing that maintaining the appearance of having a certain level of financial well-being was a large part of his new life. Being married to one of the Ackerman’s meant attending the occasional charitable event and making public appearances, all of which required a dog and pony show of him acting and dressing the part. The latter was certainly not a problem, even though each outfit cost a pretty penny, and the former was something he had slowly gotten used to after living with his father.

Though he was in much better financial shape than when Grisha had controlled his life, it only made him feel like he was a trophy wife or something similarly decorative and useless. Eren hated feeling like an ornamental piece without a proper self-identity; all his life he had been molded in one direction by his father and now that those restraints were gone, Eren really didn’t know what or who he was. Although he had a university degree and followed the news, which was yet another habit ingrained by his father, none of those were at his own choosing.

All things considered, Eren wasn’t sure if he would consider himself lucky to be in such a situation. Some days he appreciated being able to sleep in and laze around, but other times it made him feel like a kept-women, or man in his case. He wasn’t complaining about his situation. Being married to Levi was in many ways better than the nerve-wracking hell living with Grisha, but it certainly wasn’t what Eren had expected. He barely saw his husband and for the most part, only cursory remarks were passed between the two of them. Any conversation they had stalled readily.

Today was no different from the other days he had spent on the Ackerman estate. He woke up whenever he woke up, which was closer to noon than he would have liked, got dressed, and went downstairs for breakfast. He could have had a tray delivered to his room, but it would only leave a mess and made him feel even more useless. After a rather large brunch, Eren decided to go outside. The sunshine and greenery was leagues better than the silent, oppressive grandeur of the estate.

There was at least two full-time gardeners and one part-time employee whose job it was to maintain the garden and grounds and they did an excellent job of doing so. The bushes and hedges were meticulously trimmed, the lawn was always kept at a certain height, and the footpaths were always clear of debris. Eren’s favorite spot in the garden, aside from the gazebo which was a great spot for reading, was the hedge maze. He had never seen one before, and it was a little on the small side to what he had envisioned, but had been fun exploring the rectangular maze and finding the fountain in the middle. The first time he entered the maze, he had gotten lost for a little while until he realized the trick for when to turn left and when to turn right.

Feeling the sun begin to die down, he shivered as a gentle gust blew past. Although it wasn’t cold, Eren figured it was safer to head back inside and grab a coat just in case. There was nothing on his schedule for tonight, but there rarely ever was, meaning that dinner was up to his own choosing. Returning from the garden, the omega was surprised to find his husband on the patio.

He rarely saw Levi during the daylight hours and never during weekdays. Their orbits barely intersected most times. Rubbing his eyes just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, Eren could make out the short, dark-haired figure of his husband standing close to and arguing with two other people. A giant blond and a glasses-wearing brunet whose hair was an absolute disaster. What was more surprising was that Levi seemed to be losing.

“…no clue where he is, so stop asking.” Taking a few steps closer, Eren began to make out the conversation they were having.

“C’mon Levi… let’s go find him! I haven’t even seen him yet!”

“You saw the picture already, Shitty Glasses.”

“But it’s not the sameeee! And why didn’t you invite me, Leviii?! Erwin was there…” From afar the brunet looked ready to tear their hair out. Eren wasn’t sure whether to applaud their persistence or be worried that he was their subject of inquiry. If they had seen his picture, then all they would have to do was turn in his direction to spot him. Thankfully, he was currently in the shade which offered some camouflage, preventing them from seeing him whilst giving him the perfect vantage point to watch and listen.

The glasses-wearing brunet was much more energetic than anyone Eren had met before, let alone someone he had imagined Levi would tolerate. The blond, on the other hand, was standing next to, but not intervening, as he watched the other two bicker. The way he behaved reminded Eren of Armin, always keeping tabs on everyone and everything happening with a small smile, but not sticking his head into the matter directly until he had a clearer picture of what was going on.

“Tch, Kenny made the guest list.” Levi glanced down at his wristwatch. “We’ve already wasted half an hour due to your idiocy, Shitty Glasses. What are you doing here anyways? I was only meeting with Eyebrows about business.”

“I came to see you, Levi! It’s been nearly a month since you were married and you still haven’t invited your best friend to meet your mate?”

“Fine, whatever.” Levi let out a large sigh, ignoring the noisy protest altogether. “I’m going back inside to actually get some work done. You can stay out here for all I care.” Eren watched as his husband pivoted to turn back inside, but his progress was suddenly impeded as the brunet wrapped their arms around him, restraining any further movement. “Let go of me, Hange!”

“No! Not until you introduce me to him!” It was comical how Levi couldn’t seem to shrug off his friend. Perhaps Levi wasn’t trying his hardest, but he certainly _was_ trying to escape. However, somehow Levi’s brunet friend managed to find an angle that prevented his husband from gaining any leverage and freeing himself. Levi’s lack of height certainly didn’t help.

Eren couldn’t help the small giggle that burst out seeing his normally emotionless husband fighting a losing battle. Even though he was still a good distance away, the small noise must have alerted them to his presence as Levi’s messy-haired acquaintance spun around, eyes widening as they noticed him. “Oh my god? Is this him, Levi?! He’s so cuuuute!”

Wiping his face clean of laughter, Eren figured there was no point in hiding his presence any longer. Taking a few steps forward and out of the shade, it was do or die, he supposed. At least he was used to these kinds of encounters by now.

“Hi, nice to – oof!” Eren was startled and utterly confused when the unknown brunet suddenly launched themselves at him, wrapping him in a bone-crushing hug. Even though they were the same height, somehow they managed to make him feel tiny being engulfed in that spine-cracking embrace. He was unused to anyone being so openly hands-on – his mother had been the exception, but Eren hadn’t received a hug from her for many years already – that he wasn’t sure what to do.

“Oi, let him go, Hange.”

“Hah, hah…” Gasping for breath, Eren was thankful that his shorter husband managed to pull the stranger off him. Straightening up, he found that Levi was still restraining the brunet and the blonde was looking at him with an amused smile. “Sorry, you are…?”

“I’m Erwin Smith and that’s Hange.” If Levi was the epitome of short, Erwin was a giant. Those shrewd blue eyes seemed to completely see-through Eren as the giant blond took over, holding his hand out with a friendly smile. “We’re Levi’s friends.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Erwin.” Holding his hand out, Eren found his hand captured in a firm, unyielding, but warm shake. Now that he was standing near them, the omega vaguely recognized the blond from his wedding reception. Grisha had pulled him aside for a little bit warning him about doing his duty later that night and when he returned, his husband was talking to a blond. By the time Eren had reached them, however, the conversation had more or less ended as they went their separate ways.

“Hi Erennn!” Suddenly, Eren found his arm nearly wrenched out of its socket as Levi’s other acquaintance grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. Levi was glaring at the stranger with a disgusted grimace, wiping his hands while doing so, which might have helped explain how they had managed to free themselves from the alpha. “Dr. Hange Zoe at your service! But you can call me Hange! We’ve been besties with Levi since high school!”

“Nice to meet you, Ms…” Eren started not knowing how best to address them. He was surprised that Levi would consider such a person his friend, let alone his best friend. They seemed like diametrically opposed individuals. The alpha didn’t seem too happy about it either, but it wasn’t like Hange had been escorted off the premises yet.

“Just Hange. I’m agender.”

“Okay.” Nodding politely since he wasn’t quite clear on what it meant to be agender, Eren nonetheless figured it had something to do with not identifying as male or female. “Nice to meet you, Hange.” He somehow managed to extricate his hand from Hange’s grasp without much of a fight.

“He’s so polite too! Pah, you don’t deserve such a cutie pie!” Eren expected he would have gotten whiplash from spinning his head so quickly backwards to face his husband if he had done what Hange had. “How did you manage to find him, Levi?” When Levi didn’t reply, Hange rounded on him again. As friendly as the doctor seemed, Eren felt like his private space was being invaded as hands gripped his face lightly. Honey brown eyes scrutinized him from head to toe and after a minute, seemingly satisfied, Hange dropped their hands and opened their mouth.

“So, Eren, how do you spend most of your time? What do you do for a living? How does Levi treat you? Do you like him? I know he’s difficult to get along with, but you should be able to do it! Levi’s not ignoring you, is he? He does that to me all the time!” All he could do was hold his mouth open as the questions came at him one after another. It didn’t seem like Hange had even taken a breath as they fired off words rapid-fire.

“I… umm…” How was he supposed to answer? He could barely remember what the first question was, let alone the best manner to answer them.

“Hange, you’re doing it again.” Eren was relieved when Erwin stepped in and cautioned the brunet.

“Oops, sorry!” Hange slapped themselves on the head lightly. “I got overly excited to meet you. How do you like married life, Eren? Is Levi treating you ok? If he’s bullying you, let me know! I’m a doctor!”

“It’s okay, I guess. And Levi and I, well… things aren't bad.” Eren shrugged lightly, not sure what to say. He wasn't sure how much Levi's friends knew about his marriage and the circumstances behind it. Nor was he knowledgeable about the extent of the relationship between Hange and his husband. Besides, how _was_ he supposed to answer? That all he did was sit around all day? Or that most days he didn't even talk to Levi, let alone speak to him? Theirs was a paper marriage with no substance behind

“Hmm…” Hange's brown eyes scrutinized him closely before they nodded to themselves as if having made some mental note Eren wasn't privy to. “So what do you do, Eren?”

“Sorry, can you rephrase that?”

“What do you do for work, Eren?”

“Umm… nothing really.” It was a little embarrassing to admit that all he did was sit around and wander the house. He should have expected it; it was a basic question to ask after all. “I just graduated and then this…” He fiddled with the golden band around his finger.

“Is that so…” There was a thoughtful look as Hange’s gaze darted between him and Levi. The happenings of a smile began as they rubbed their hands together gleefully. “Why don’t you work for Levi?”

“Huh?” Eren barely knew what his husband did all day, only that it was likely some higher-level managerial position in the family business.

“Levi, hire Eren as your assistant! You keep complaining there’s too much for you to do!”

“Tch, no.”

“Why not?” Eren couldn’t help question what he had been thinking as soon as the words had left his mouth. He wasn’t the only one, as Hange had uttered those same words at the exact moment he had. Even then, he had no clue what being Levi's assistant would entail; all he knew was that it would be business-related, but that was a broad area. What irked him about Levi's refusal was the _possibility_ that the man, his husband of all people, might not think him capable. Even if they didn’t get along, Eren had imagined that they would at least support each other in some manner. When gunmetal eyes turned to him, his inner voice told him to stand down, but there was nothing left for him to lose; at the very least, he would get his husband to respect him. “I majored in business and minored in finance, Levi.”

“You do?” Hange questioned before anyone could speak up. “Oh, that’s perfect Eren! You’re perfect!” Eren flinched as the brunet’s arms wrapped tightly around him once more. “Levi, hire him!” Eren watched as the scowl deepened on Levi's face, Hange was undeterred. “Erwin, why don't you tell him? Eren can help out with stuff on the start up! And other things!”

“Hange…” a threatening growl escaped the one person with the most say in the matter.

“Actually, that's not a bad idea.” Erwin seemed at ease cutting into the tense atmosphere, eyes glittering with amusement as he did. “You could use an extra pair of hands, and Eren seems capable enough.”

Eren tensed as dark eyes pierced him, assessing. Levi’s face didn’t change, but it wasn’t difficult to know that whatever was going on in the alpha’s mind wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Levi’s displeasure had been noticeably clear when Hange had first brought the idea up.

“Haaaa… fine.” A deep sigh was released as it seemed like Levi finally arrived at the realization he wasn't going to win. Eren recoiled as the fierce silvery gaze landed on him once more, this time predatory and threatening. “You'd better not fuck up, Yeager, or I'll have you cleaning shit from the toilets at work.”

Grimacing at the visual imagery, Eren nodded. He knew he might not have had real work experience, but he did have a degree in the field and was an extremely hard worker when it came down to it. How else had he managed to graduate with a degree in something that did not interest him at one of the top institutions in the country?

“Good. I’ll make the necessary arrangements and you can start Monday next week.” As happy as Eren was to be doing something useful with his time, the thought of his freedom ending was bittersweet. “Now that you’ve met him, Hange, stop bothering me and go home. I have work to do.”

“Okay, but this won’t be the last of it!” Hange dropped the topic, seeming to realize that asking to stay longer was long begging for trouble. “Let me know if anything happens, Eren! I’m head of psychiatry and neurosurgery at Trost General!”

“Sure.”

“Tch, I still can’t believe they let you treat real people.” Levi clicked his tongue in disgust, opening the door for Hange. Throughout the entire exchange, Eren wondered how and when his husband had befriended such a unique individual.

“Levi, I’ll have you know that I’m one of the best.”

“Yeah, at being bat shit crazy.”

“How else can I understand my patients, Levi? You should really come in; I can help you with your OCD!”

“Fuck off, Shitty Glasses, I don't have OCD.”

“Haha, that's what they all say!” Hange looked back at him waving excitedly. “Bye Eren! Come by sometime and let me know how working for grumpy-pants is!”

Raising his hand, he waved back somewhat less enthusiastically than Levi’s friend. Even though it was such a short exchange, it was tiring suddenly being barraged with such questions. Hange seemed nice, but Eren was still cautious, unsure of where he stood. They had not been the first person to seriously suggest him finding work, others who had asked had mentioned it in passing as a joke or comment, but Hange’s comment was the first to actually lead to something.

Eren only hoped it would be an improvement from the life he currently lived.


	4. Chapter 4

“Oi, make yourself useful and get me some tea, brat.”

“Asshole… _Oi, make yourself useful and get me some tea, brat_.” Eren couldn’t help mutter bitterly to himself as he left the man’s office. Levi really only drank one type of tea – black – and there was an ample stash of it in the staff kitchen at all times. At least, making tea was pretty simple and difficult to mess up… but it made him feel even more useless than he already was.

Eren understood that his husband wasn’t favoring him in any regard – Levi had made it explicitly clear when he had begun his new position – but he felt more like a glorified errand boy than an actual assistant. All he had done since beginning his new job was run around performing stupid errands such as photocopying, making tea, and organizing documents. Once or twice, Levi had him prepare and attend a team meeting, but as valuable as those experiences were, he had no scaffolding to base what they were discussing on. When Hange had mentioned working for Levi, Eren had expected something that required a little more skill and finesse such as writing reports or crunching numbers. But there was none of that. Even though he had no prior work experience and thereby nothing for him to base his suspicions on, it was like Levi was treating him as though he were some incompetent child. He had a degree in business for crying out loud!

Breathing deeply, he picked up the cup of steeped tea and began the walk back to Levi’s office. Even though it was a short journey, it was accompanied by the clatter of fingers speeding across the keyboard and rustle of pages being turned. It only served to remind him how _useful_ he had been so far.

Knocking on the door, it only took a moment before Levi’s voice ushered him in.

“Your tea, sir.” After the leaves were steeped, he walked back and put the cup on Levi’s desk. The brunet found it strange addressing his husband so formally, but then again, simply addressing Levi by his first name felt too casual in the workplace. The dark-haired man didn’t even acknowledge or thank him. Frustrated at being stuck doing manual labor, Eren let some of the irritation leak through. “Is there anything else, _sir_?”

He had been trying to keep it in, but after days of running around doing and learning absolutely nothing, the omega was getting fed up. But the alpha didn’t seem to notice. Instead, Levi gave him a dismissive wave of his hand without even looking up. “No, you can go.”

Standing there for a moment, Eren internally debated whether it was worthwhile asking for more to do. He wanted to help, but he didn’t want to disturb them either. Eren was well aware of his status as the newbie in the team. Normally he might have asked the others around him to show him the ropes or if they needed any help – they were each clearly swamped with something – but there were so many projects going on, he could barely wrap his head around it all.

He didn’t want to become a burden by having someone teach him how to do the tasks, but at the same time, he had too much free time. At least once per day he would find himself with nothing to occupy his time. To try and better his understanding, Eren tried devoting his free time to read the reports he had dealt with, but it was a difficult task. He was completely in the dark without the proper context and a comparison to determine what the new additions were. It made him feel like he was in grade school trying to read some obscure philosophy paper or something.

Eyeing the report on Levi’s desk, Eren decided to let it pass. Levi was clearly busy and he didn’t want to be on his husband’s bad side. His mom had often tried to curb his rash behavior, lecturing him to think things through before acting. Bowing slightly, he turned to leave when a knock sounded.

 

* * *

 

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Ignoring the vibrations coming from his phone, Levi continued to read over the terms of Erwin’s proposal. Although they had already discussed it and he was sure of the longer term prospects, it was only prudent to check the finer details.

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Normally he might have been able to concentrate, but instead of turning silent, it kept ringing, making it impossible to focus on the words in front of him. Grabbing the offensive object, Levi turned it off and threw it in his desk drawer. Turning back to his papers, he had just found the spot he had left off at when the office phone rang.

_Ring. Ring. Ri–_

“What?” He didn't even try to disguise his irritation. After all, there were only a few people who knew the direct line to his office. Every other call was routed to his secretary who knew better than to ring him directly at a time like this.

“Levi! Finally! Do you know how hard it is to get you?”

“Get to the point, Shitty Glasses.” Levi growled, trying to multitask and read the rest of the proposal.

“How's Eren doing?”

“How the fuck should I know? Is there actually something important or are you just calling for fun?”

“But Leviii–” Hearing the familiar high-pitched whine, he pressed the disconnect button. The shitty doctor should know better than to call him about something so insignificant at such a time. He barely had any time as it was to work. Things were a mess lately. Before Hange could try again, Levi pressed the hotline for his secretary, waiting barely a second before it connected.

“Yes, sir?”

“If anyone else asks for me today, tell them I’m not here.” There was a small clang as he disconnected the receiver and pulled out the phone cord.

It didn’t take Levi much more than half an hour to finish reading and annotating Erwin’s proposal. It would be a solid investment, but he did have a few recommendation and questions before pulling out the checkbook. Quickly typing an email to his secretary to schedule an appointment with Erwin, he sat back in his chair and sighed. Unlike the other report sitting on his desk, Erwin’s proposal was an easy read and had been dealt with relatively smoothly.

Eyeing the deceptively thin folder on his desk, Levi rubbed his temples in frustration. He knew he shouldn’t have been putting it off, but he was going to have a headache by the end of the day.

It started about a year ago with some numbers that didn’t match up. At first they thought it was merely an entry error, a three instead of a four, but just to be sure, they had gone over a few prior reports and found the same thing. A number here and there. An extra order that didn’t line up with the filed reports. He had Oluo follow the paper trail, which was a labyrinthine nightmare. It had taken over half a year just to collect all the reports, and they were just beginning to see the patterns.

Part of what made it so difficult were the complexities involved. Typically, a corporate spy might reliably leave some semi-regular trail, but it wasn’t the case here. There were a few consistencies – such as an increase of a few hundred thousand every three months – which made it easier to track, but whoever was responsible was intimately familiar with the company’s financial landscape. They had hidden the sums well enough that one wouldn’t be able to spot it unless they checked and cross-referenced each and every line with all in and outgoing accounts. The inconsistencies were sprinkled across multiple teams, divisions, and even some of the company’s subsidiaries, which made it more difficult to track. However, it meant that the culprit was either working with others or sufficiently high up in the company to have access to all that information.

Strangely, though, they weren’t just skimming money off the company books, but there were times when funds were also _added_. There had to be at least a few million that had vanished at some point and reappeared some time later. Levi wasn’t sure what was going on, and it sure as hell wasn’t from his team, but someone in the company was doctoring the accounts and had been doing so for a long time.

He had raised the issue to his uncle a few weeks ago, but Kenny had simply nodded and said he’d deal with it. Such an unhelpful response only left Levi with more unanswered questions about what the hell was going on. Kenny was not the type of person to let a company thief go without getting his comeuppance. However, the strange way his uncle had reacted, meant the bastard was either involved in the scheme, aware and let it happen, or was currently investigating on his own. Whichever it was, it sounded fishy as fuck.

It had been difficult enough for Levi to follow the money trail without arousing suspicion. While it was possible because most considered him Kenny’s successor and therefore attempted to curry favor with him, there was a limit. The internal politicking was a nightmare. It was difficult to avoid stepping on toes and overstepping his role in this matter would surely cause an unwanted schism. Levi wasn’t the director of internal affairs and the only reason the reports had come across his desk was because he had wanted to review the old case files. Beginning a witch hunt inside the company was never the best course of action, but such a thing could easily explode in their faces. Unfortunately, or maybe he was fortunate, it wasn’t his role to have to think about such a tangled web of lies and conspiracy.

Being a director at his age was a daunting prospect. When he had first been promoted, many were uncomfortable and detested him for the blatant nepotism, but they weren’t aware of the hours of blood and sweat he had put into it. Although he might have gotten the position because of his relation to Kenny Ackerman, Levi had had to crawl his way up and earn the respect of those around him. Many had tried to test him by giving him the worst tasks or disrupting his progress, but they had failed. And that was putting it lightly. Even now there were at least two dozen reports to read through each day and a few hours of meetings every week. One misstep and the others would jump on his weakness. Beyond his day-to-day job, which was already a gargantuan undertaking, he was also required to deal with any projects Kenny wanted dealt with in-house and other tiring social events far beyond his pay grade.

Rubbing his eyes, he skimmed the words typed in black on the cover. Randomly flipping through the pages, Levi figured he might as well bite the bullet. The sooner he dealt with the shit, the sooner he could get it over with.

Before he could concentrate on the papers, however, there was a small knock on his door.

“Yes?”

“It’s me, sir.” The muffled voice of the brat sounded.

Heaving a sigh, he beckoned Eren in. “Come in.” Rubbing a deep sigh, Levi pinched the bridge of his nose and waited for the brat to enter. It seemed like today just wasn’t his day. First Hange, and now Eren. At least the brat knew better than to bother him.

“Your tea, sir.” There was a gentle clink of porcelain as Eren laid the teacup on his desk. If there was one thing good about the brat working here, it was that the younger male made an excellent cup of tea. For some reason, the brat knew just which variety of black tea to use and how much to steep it to his liking.

Beginning to read over the report, Levi barely registered the fact Eren was still there until the omega opened his mouth once more. “Is there anything else, sir?”

“No, you can go.” Levi could feel the pair of aquamarine eyes watch him for a moment before fuming off and turning around to leave.

Just as he was about to continue reading, he was once again interrupted. There was a knock on the door, followed by a feminine voice. “Director Levi?”

“Yes?” Today really wasn’t his lucky day.

“I have a few questions to ask about the Survey project in Rose.”

“Come in, Petra.” A moment later, the petite redhead entered Levi’s office. She was one of the youngest, most talented members in his team. “What’s wrong?”

“I crunched the numbers you wanted on the Rose account, but we’re still missing some things for their audit. Sales has been slow in getting back to me, so I haven’t had the chance to check against their numbers. Did you want me to wait till we get the numbers from them or continue as is?”

“Tch, stupid fuckers.” Levi cursed under his breath. The Rose account was one of their largest projects they had ongoing and dealing with them was always a pain in his ass. They were business partners and rivals, so any errors would only speak poorly of them. Normally he would have been fine with Petra working on multiple tasks, she was one of the best, but the Rose account was something he didn’t want her to lose focus on. “How long do you think it’ll be before they get back to you?”

“Well, I submitted the request yesterday, but they haven’t gotten back to me yet.”

Leaning back on his chair, Levi really wasn’t cut out for this managerial bullshit. Sure, he had more power and say in the overall scheme of things, but he hated all the responsibilities and decisions he had to make. “What other things are you working on again?”

“Well there’s the risk analysis for the new landscaping project. And I still need to check up with HR on a few things. Oh and then there’s the presentation due in a week.”

“Tch, is there anyone who can take over the presentation?” Levi had completely forgotten about the presentation. It had been difficult finding a time that everyone could make, but it needed to get done. Still, that didn’t mean other things weren’t just as important. “Rose takes precedence; I’ll make a few calls to put pressure on them.”

“I don’t know. Gunther is meeting with the higher-ups about something and Oluo and Erd are both swamped with their own work.”

“Shit.” Levi groaned. He had originally planned for the Rose account to be finished before the end of the week, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen. The board of directors was expecting a report on it sometime in the next few days. They were thinking of beginning another project together and it was all riding on the coattails of this report.

“Umm… I-I could…” There was a nervous squeak from the side. Levi had been too preoccupied with the bad news to realize Eren had stuck around. Looking up, his eyes met Eren’s and the brat immediately clammed up. “Umm… nevermind.”

“Just spit it out, Yeager.” Levi prompted.

“I-I could help Petra…”

Levi pondered the idea. Eren had spirit and so far he had done fairly well with the tasks Levi had assigned him to do. Of course those things were nowhere as complicated as what Petra was doing, but Yeager was the only one in the team that had any free time right now. Still, just because the brat was available to help didn’t mean Levi would simply let him do whatever. “Why should I let you?”

“Levi, no sir, I’ve been here for two weeks now but I haven’t sat around and done nothing. I might not be able to help much, but I can probably help with things like making the presentation.” The brat had some spunk, Levi would give him that. As much as he hated insubordination, there was a determined spark in the omega’s eyes that made him pause.

The brat reminded Levi of himself when he was younger. He had once had a similar flame burning through him, an anger and determination to prove himself. However, the fire behind Eren’s aquamarine orbs reminded him of himself when he was younger. The only question was whether that fire would continue burn or if it would get snuffed out. Levi had met various people who thought themselves the best at their job, but when the going got tough, they often failed to deliver results. He wondered which one the stubborn brat would resemble more. “What do you think, Petra?”

“Well… none of us have seen him work, but if he’s as hardworking as he seems, I think it might work. He can take over the number crunching on the accounts and it’ll give me more time to work on other things.”

Giving the brat a once over, Levi pondered the pros and cons of letting Eren work with Petra. That wasn’t a half-bad idea actually. There really wasn’t much downside, except that teaching Eren would require time and energy. Both of which were in rare supply.

But beggars couldn’t be choosers. They were already short-staffed and stressed as it were. Most days they ended up working overtime, but forcing his team to work at the cost of sleep would only decrease efficiency and could lead to mistakes being made.

“Fine, it’ll be sometime before sales gets back to us with their data, so take the time to get him up to speed.”

“Yes, sir.”

Watching as Petra and Eren exited his office, one after another, Levi let his mind wander to his husband. When Hange had first mentioned Eren working for him, Levi had expected the brat to be like the other privileged brats he had met. Many higher-ups had hired their sons and daughters as interns, some of whom had even worked for him, but they were even less competent than the average employee. Although they didn’t take credit for others’ work, they did, however, act entitled and complained whenever they didn’t get their way.

But Eren had proven him wrong in that regard. Levi was pleasantly surprised with the brat’s tenacity, but the hard part was yet to come.

He only hoped Eren would prove him wrong once again.


	5. Chapter 5

_Knock, knock._

“What?”

“The police are here to see you, sir.” Levi frowned as he heard the muffled reply through the thick oak door.

Lifting his head to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, the dark-haired man stared at the closed door, questioning why the cops would be here in the first place. What did the police want with him? To the best of his knowledge, no one around him had been involved in anything that would warrant police attention. He was completely in the dark.

“Let them in.”

“This way, sir.” The door opened and two plainly dressed individuals walked in.

“How may I help you?”

“Mr. Ackerman, I am detective Jarnach and this is detective Dietrich.” Committing the names to memory as they showed him their badges, Levi waved for them to sit down.

“Please have a seat. Would you like anything to drink?” Both detectives shook their heads. “Get me a black tea,” he instructed the manservant. He would need the caffeine for the upcoming inquisition. As soon as the manservant left, Levi turned his attention back to his guests. “How may I help you?”

“We have some questions for you regarding your uncle.”

“Of course.” _God damn it, what did Kenny do now_? Levi swore under his breath. He could always, unfortunately, count on his shitty uncle to turn his life into an even shittier shitfest. Collecting his wits about him, he gestured for them to begin. “Whatever I can do to assist.”

 

“One last question. Mr. Ackerman, it might be a little difficult to remember, but can we ask you where you were between the hours of nine p.m. to two a.m. on the eighteenth three months ago?”

Furrowing his brow, he wondered what was so special about the date aside. Normally Levi wouldn’t remember dates or details with such clarity, but it was the day he got married and mated. Given that the marriage was a business exchange of sorts, Levi couldn’t deny the strong possibility that Kenny had also taken advantage of the opportunity and arrange to meet potential clients and partners at the event. It wasn’t like his uncle to operate so sloppily though.

“With my husband, Eren Yeager.” It might be a little difficult to recall his actions down to the precise minute, but after he entered the hotel room, no one had entered or left the room until room service came in with tea his later that morning. “It was our wedding night.”

 “I see. Would we be able to talk to Mr. Yeager as well? Is he in?”

“Right now?”

“If that wouldn’t be much trouble.”

“Let me ask.” Picking up the phone, he buzzed the mansion staff. “Is Eren around? Good, can you send him down to my office? I need to talk to him.” Hanging up the phone, Levi wasn’t sure whether to be relieved that he was free from questioning for the interim or to dread the brat’s appearance. Although the police had arrived unannounced, he was used to dealing with sticky situations. Eren had proved to be adept at faking smiles during the tedious social and business gatherings they had attended, but this was a different matter. There was no telling how the brat would react. Levi only hoped he could stay in the room while Eren was being questioned. One wrong word and they would be fucked. At least he could back up or correct Eren if they were both present. It would also give him a better idea what the detectives were after.

A few minutes later, there was a knock and Eren peeked his messy brown hair in. “Levi?” The omega sent a curious glance at the police officers, but otherwise made no note to address them yet. “They mentioned you wanted to see me?”

“Yeah, grab a seat.” Eren glanced over at the policemen before dragging a chair over and sitting by him. “Our guests have a few questions for you.”

“Okay?” The policeman immediately turned to face Eren.

“Eren Yeager, I take it?” Eren nodded, seeming as surprised as Levi had been by what was going on. “Good afternoon, Mister Yeager. I am detective Jarnach and this is detective Dietrich. We’d like to ask you a few questions about your relationship with Levi Ackerman.”

“Umm… sure?”

“How would you describe your relationship with Levi Ackerman? Are the two of you close?”

“We’re married and we work together.” Levi could see the cogs turning in Eren’s mind. Eren had done an excellent job in answering the question without actually addressing the question itself. Being strangely attuned to the omega’s scent, however, Levi could detect an undercurrent of uncertainty and worry underneath the calm face Eren was projecting.

“So how long have you known your husband?”

“Around a year…?”

“What about the night of June eighteenth? Where were you between the hours of nine and two a.m.?”

“With him?” Eren pointed at him.

Levi could see that the line of questioning was making the omega uncomfortable, but he kept his characteristic mask of passivity. He had just as much knowledge as Eren about what was going on. Maybe a little more since they had questioned him further and mentioned arresting Kenny, but it wasn’t by much.

“And the two of you were alone the whole night?”

“As far as I know.” The brat shot another glance at him. “What is this about?”

“I’m sorry to say, but we’ve arrested Kenny Ackerman on charges of fraud, tax evasion, possession of counterfeit documents, money laundering, extortion, and blackmail.” Levi watched as Eren gaped at the list of things the detective had listed. Although it hadn’t shown on his face, he had been similarly surprised. They hadn’t listed the charges when they first questioned him, which made him suspect something such as tax evasion or something on that level, but not counterfeiting or money laundering. However, if his uncle was the one messing with the account books, then the bastard’s disregard for what Levi had brought up before made sense. Kenny might never have won the ‘greatest uncle of the year’ award, but Levi had never expected the man to stoop so low. “We know a meeting took place that evening in which he was seen meeting with the head of a notorious drug ring and just wanted to verify the whereabouts of you and your husband.”

Tch, they weren’t remotely interested in the brat. They were only wondering whether he was involved.

“Were you aware of any of this, Mr. Yeager?”

“N-no…” Eren seemed utterly shell-shocked at the news. It wasn’t surprising. Kenny wasn’t the type to air his dirty laundry and even if Grisha Yeager had commissioned a background check on him or Kenny, his uncle would have buried the truth. No one in their right mind would have allowed their son to consort with anyone with ties to drugs or such illegal activities. “Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“I’m afraid we’re not at liberty to discuss details of an ongoing –”

“One sec,” the other detective who had stayed fairly quiet until now interrupted and pulled out a phone. “Yes?” Watching the dirty-blond cop take his call, Levi found himself subject to Eren’s worried gaze. It was clear that the brat was wondering whether he had any involvement in Kenny’s activities.

“Jarnach.”

“Yes?”

“We have a small problem.” Levi wished he could hear what they were whispering to one another. Even with his hearing, he could only catch a few words such as ‘lawyer’ and ‘Ackerman.’

“Shit, really?”

“Yeah.”

“No matter, we have what we came for anyways.” They turned back towards him and the brat, clearly troubled over the contents of the phone call. “I’m afraid we have to cut things short. Here is my card. If you have any other questions or information please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for your cooperation and have a good day, Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Yeager.”

They left just as quickly and abruptly as they had come.

Before Levi could even sort through the jumble of news and get someone to figure out what was going on, the brat rounded on him. “Levi,” Eren hissed. “What is going on?”

“Tch, for once, I’m as in the dark as you are, shitty brat.” Staring at the confusion shining in those green eyes, Levi was simply relieved Eren hadn’t fucked up the interview. Though the detectives might not have been completely happy with their answers, everything Eren had said was the truth.

“What did they mean when they said Kenny was arrested?”

“Hell if I know. What do you want me to say, shitty brat? I have no fucking clue.”

“So you’re not involved?”

“Do I look like I’m involved in this shitfest? Fucking Kenny…” Levi muttered. He had already lost a half-afternoon’s worth of time fending off questions and his tolerance for being questioned was nearing its end. Why did everyone think he had the fucking answers? “They questioned me before questioning you, shitty brat.”

“So you have no idea?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?”

“Don’t answer a question with another question, Levi.”

“Tch, hypocritical brat.” The brat seemed to clam up for a moment, eyes studiously raking over his, searching for answers but finding none. Levi was tired from all this bullshit. Eren wouldn’t find answers from him. “If you really want answers, get out of my office. I have a few calls to make.”

It took a little longer for Eren to comply, but the younger male eventually left.

By himself once more, Levi picked up the tea. It had long since cooled, but he wasn’t in the mood for any more socializing. Letting the cold dregs of tea slide down his throat, Levi sat back in his chair and sighed. This was the last thing he wanted or needed to worry about. But if what the detectives were saying was true, his uncle might have been the root of all the fraudulent accounting problems. One could only hope.

 

* * *

 

“What am I going to do now?” Eren groaned into the morning air. Before going to bed and since he woke this morning, his mind was besieged with thoughts of what was going to happen. Twenty-four hours ago, as lonely as his life was, he felt like he was working towards something. Now, it was all coming apart. Even walking outdoors and seeing all the plants and flowers wasn’t enough to calm him down.

It had begun when he was called down to Levi’s office. Eren was surprised at seeing two detectives there, but there was no other way to avoid being put on the spot like that. The interview itself wasn’t that much more draining than the social events he attended with Levi, but it was unnerving as the cops would most certainly check the veracity of his claims. They were also unusually concerned with his marital relationship and wedding night, which was something Eren was still trying to map out. Thankfully the interview was cut short, but after sleeping on it, it seemed like they were more interested in Levi than they were in him. The questions directed at him were centered around his husband. But it wasn’t surprising.

There was a clear chill in the air this morning when he had gone down for breakfast. News of Kenny’s arrest was making headlines across the country. The staff had no doubt heard and were wondering what was going to happen to them. His uncle-in-law had been released on bail, but according to the news, the police investigation had been going on for many months and it wouldn’t be long before the man was indicted and put to trial. Eren was just glad Kenny hadn’t returned to the estate; things were already stressful enough without seeing the man face to face.

Instead of enjoying the Sunday off, Eren had been rudely awakened by a call from his father only hours ago, asking him what was going on. Instead of caring for his well-being, Grisha was angrier that he had found out about Kenny’s arrest through the news. It wasn’t unusual for his father to care more about the company than about him, but it still hurt hearing those cold words.

_‘How could you not know about it, boy? I thought you were finally growing up to be of use when I married you off to Levi Ackerman, but now look… you’re such a disappointment.’_

Although he should have expected such harsh words, hearing them still stung. In some corner of his heart, Eren had always hoped his father might one day come to love him, but it was a wish made in vain. His relationship with Grisha had always been bad, but the current turn in events made it seem impossible for them to ever reconcile their differences. What was even worse was that in the midst of it all, his father had actually _told_ him to divorce Levi and to come back home under the auspices of Grisha finding something or someone better.

“Can you believe he even did that?” Eren muttered angrily, pulling out the milk thistle which had begun to take over the small little garden he had started. His marriage to Levi was certainly _not_ a well-played move on his father’s part, but through it, he had managed to escape the reign of terror. “First deciding my degree, then my marriage, and now this? Who does he think I am?”

He shot down the suggestion to move back in with his father immediately. Working in Levi’s team had given him a taste of what it was like to be truly independent. Granted, Eren had only gotten the job through his marriage and connections, but he was no longer the naïve and obedient son like before. Still, that didn’t mean his life was completely his own.

Eren was troubled about what was going to happen to him. Kenny’s arrest would no doubt create shockwaves throughout the company. He wasn’t going to be the only one affected, though unlike the others, he couldn’t easily slip away and find a new job. Levi or those in Levi’s team were his only references and barely a month of work experience would be insufficient to get hired at most places.

And that wasn’t even tackling the issue of his marriage.

The mating bond between him and Levi couldn’t be undone, but as Grisha had intimated, he could file for divorce on legal grounds given the upcoming court case against Kenny.

“What do you guys think? Should I?” Wiping away the sweat from his brow, he talked to the lavender plant. It wasn’t as though Eren expected an answer, but the act of voicing his thoughts was cathartic. Just thinking helped him sort out the mess in his head. But with everything that was happening, even the normally soothing scent couldn’t wash away his anxieties.

His marriage to Levi had always been a business arrangement. And beyond his current job, it had never developed further. Unfortunately, Eren didn’t have much control over what would happen. He had inquired after his husband this morning, hoping to talk to Levi and figure out what was going to happen, and unsurprisingly, the alpha was trapped in some sort of phone call. With all that was happening, things were bound to be a mess at the company.

Although he didn’t want to think about the worst case, there was a possibility Levi was involved with the things Kenny had gotten arrested for. He wanted to believe Levi was innocent, but he didn’t know the dark-haired man well enough. If Levi was guilty… what would happen to him? Eren hated to admit it, but without Levi and discounting his father, he would have no job, no income, and no support. So far, things had been going well – if Levi ignoring him could be considered that – but things could radically change in the next few months.

“Gahhh…!” Eren yelled into the brisk morning breeze. Why did he have to be born into such a crappy situation anyways? The whole thing was giving him a nasty headache.


	6. Chapter 6

“I'm very sorry, Mr. Ackerman, but we cannot –”

Not bothering to listen to the rest of the drivel, Levi threw the receiver back down with a loud clatter. There was no point in trying to spew shit out while attempting to truss it up as something else. Everything that came out would be false apologies and lies anyways. The moment Kenny, and by proxy the company, came under investigation, their business partners had scattered like cockroaches for fear of getting wrapped up in the ensuing chaos. The phone call was the last of those Levi had thought _might_ lend a hand. Even personal favors couldn't cut it; they all said it was beyond them or their current reach.

There were a few more people, or rather one, he could call. But Erwin had his hands full trying to start up his company and had counted on him for financing. It was still possible to fund the bulk of the project with his personal funds, but they still needed a couple million to make up the difference, not to mention that he would need to hire lawyers and shit for the legal battle ahead.

Levi estimated his personal worth at just under a billion, most of which were untouchable and tied up in stocks and investments, but that was sure to tank as well. Of his remaining assets, a large majority was somehow tied up or related to the company. And most of that would definitely going to vanish into the ether. The company stock had already fallen forty percent in half a month and it was predicted to plummet even further in the next few weeks. If he could have done so, Levi would have sold his shares and exited, but those funds were frozen and untouchable, no thanks to the police and IRS.

Being known as Kenny’s protégé certainly did not help. Since the story broke, Levi’s waking hours had been bombarded with nosy reporters and people trying to figure out the entire story. Hell, he didn’t even know the entire fucking story. Even if the cops now had access to the records and were going over them with a fine-tooth comb, it would still take months to figure out the mess of numbers and accounts the money had been funneled through.

“Fuck.” Swearing out loud to himself, the silence seemed to mock him. For once, Levi had no idea what the best course of action was. He could just wait it out and hope the company wasn’t in shambles, but it wasn’t like Levi had willingly worked there to begin with. Even if he did continue there, he doubted things would go smoothly. His uncle’s company was a sinking ship and everyone wanted off. The police were also investigating him but to the best of his knowledge, he hadn’t committed whatever the fuck Kenny was tangled up in. “Fuck you, Kenny.”

Pouring himself a tumbler of cognac, the dark-haired man contemplated life. Since coming to America, his livelihood had been forcibly linked to the Ackerman group. Unfortunately, the ship was sinking and there was no possibility of escape. At least, not unscathed. Although he was good at what he did, Levi hated playing the social networking game. Many of those bridges were now burned and any skills he had would be devalued. Even if he were to look for a new position, the undeniable link he had with Kenny would always taint his chances.

In other words, he was fucking screwed.

The entire matter had exploded before Levi even had an inkling of what was had happening. If he had, he could have at least come up with an exit strategy or something to prepare for the royal shitfest. Despite currently living in the lap of luxury, Levi knew that the world wasn’t always so forgiving. It was a dog eat dog world out there and his enemies would pounce at any sign of weakness.

The PR and HR divisions of the company had been going crazy trying to minimize the damage, but it was too widespread, and growing larger like a cancerous tumor each day. Although Levi subscribed to the notion that only the strongest should survive, in this particular case, it didn’t matter how well one performed. Layoffs were inevitable and entire departments would be scrapped. Even then, he knew he was still luckier than most.

His team did excellent work and was part of the main office, but they were a comparatively small group and much more likely to be cut off. The thought of seeing his subordinates laid off left a bitter tang in his mouth. Many were handpicked stars, poached from other departments to work under him. Gunther, for example, had been in finance and now served as his second-in-command whenever Levi was overloaded or unavailable. Even if they wanted to find a new job, it would be difficult. It wasn't like they would be using him as a reference for a new job; any and all mentions of ‘Ackerman’ would only darken the already black mark against them. It was fucking shitty that innocents, such as him, his team, and even the brat of a mate, would get tied up in this carnage.

He wasn’t sure how the events would play out, but no matter the outcome, it wasn’t going to be pretty. It would be worthwhile to begin looking into alternative sources of income and a different place to live. The estate would have to go; the property taxes were monstrous and the upkeep would be unfeasible with the staff gone.

Mikasa would manage; she was a survivor. However, the line of thought naturally brought the alpha to the other resident of the mansion who was just as affected as he would be. His brat of a mate.

The younger male was clearly as confused and shaken up as he had been when the cops came by. They hadn’t talked much about the fallout from Kenny’s arrest since that day. Levi had been too occupied with sorting things out at work and neither of them had any clue what the fuck was happening. It wasn’t as though they were close, but the whole premise for their marriage had been destroyed. If the arrest had happened earlier, they would never have gotten hitched. Neither of them had been willing participants, but it had happened.

Eren was still very much a shitty brat in his estimation, but a hard working one. Not everything the omega produced was perfect, but it was clear that Eren was trying his best to pull his weight. He was resilient and bounced back after making a small mistake. The same could not always be said for others Levi had worked with. It was refreshing to see the fire that never seemed to dim in those green orbs. Several times Levi had expected Eren to be disappointed or to complain, but he hadn’t. The brat was likely even more stubborn than he was. But that was at work.

In private, their relationship had not gone anywhere since their wedding night. Neither of them had really tried getting to know one another better, but it might be easier to figure out where they were going now that their fates were entwined. It wasn’t as though Kenny would suddenly be exonerated – the police had to have a solid case to suddenly spring the arrest – and it wasn’t possible for Eren and him to return to their unmated statuses. Eren’s father had called him several times asking what the hell was going on, but Levi hadn’t had the heart to take them. The man was clearly pissed off; his money making and political marriage had backfired in a big way and nothing would ever salvage it. Levi didn’t care what the man thought, but both of them were innocent bystanders – Eren more than he was – caught in a mess not of their own making.

He could always cut his losses and leave Eren to his own devices, but as cold as most considered Levi, he wasn’t cruel. It was the most practical option, but the thought of leaving the brat to his own device left a sour taste in Levi’s mouth. It might have been an easier decision if he wasn’t as fond of Eren as he was. Levi certainly hadn’t suddenly formed affection for Eren, but the omega made excellent tea, worked hard, and didn’t fawn over him like some sycophant. He also wanted to know what was hidden in those vibrant green depths. Reading people was a skill he had mastered in his years in America, but Levi knew there was something about Eren the omega was keeping back. For what it was worth, their farce of a marriage wasn’t as shitty as he had expected it. Eren kept to himself mostly and that was fine by his standards.

But thinking about Eren or their marriage wouldn’t help solve the root of the problem: Kenny Ackerman. They had barely talked since hell broke loose, but Levi had no doubt his uncle would try and get him to help with either the legal or company side of things. Although he had never done anything illegal, the police were investigating him too.

Kenny’s existence was a blighted scourge which would be impossible to erase. After dragging him away from his family, the shitty bastard now had to drag him through the mud. The press had not stopped hounding him since news broke and it wouldn’t be long before they would begin unearthing the skeletons from his past Kenny had worked so hard to bury.

_Fuck you very much, Kenny. I hope you rot in hell._

Levi barked out a bitter laugh. Let them unearth all those fucking skeletons, ghosts, and whatever the fuck there was. One or two more couldn’t possibly mess his life more than it had already.

Sipping the amber liquid, he tasted hints of almond and tobacco as it worked its way down his throat, leaving a trail of warm fire behind. It was a rare XO aged more than thirty years, but given the situation he was in, Levi doubted he would have the luxury to receive such bottles from clients or business partners anymore. Maybe if he worked through all the liquor they had in the house he might actually be able to forget how fucked he was.

Too busy drinking and cursing fate, the alpha wasn’t even aware when the door to his study opened.

 

* * *

 

“Umm…”

“Yes?”

“Can you bring this to Mister Levi? We were told not to disturb him, but it is time we bring his normal tea and…” The maid didn’t seem to finish her sentence as she trailed off.

“I guess.” Shrugging, Eren felt like it would give him a long overdue chance to speak to his enigmatic husband about what would be happening to them from now on. He was used to delivering tea to Levi’s office at work anyways.

Knocking on the door, Eren waited for a response, but there wasn’t one. Frowning, he tried again. Leaning his head against the wood, he tried to make out the sounds of conversation, but there were no sounds coming from inside. Levi had previously told him never to enter without permission, but he knew better than to deprive the dark-haired man of his tea. Worried, he gently turned the knob, surprised that it was unlocked. Pushing the door open, Eren had to blink several times to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.

In the orange glow of the fireplace, though, the alpha looked even more tired and haggard than usual. The jet black locks, normally straight and perfectly combed, were mussed. And the first few buttons on Levi’s shirt were undone. In his mind Levi had always been a person who would never let anyone see him in any situation when he was less than perfectly put together.

“Tch, it’s you.” Levi shot him a dark look before pouring another generous glass from the half empty bottle of liquor on the small table. The older man didn’t seem to care much that Eren had come in, only continuing to drink.

“Levi, you’re drinking…” Eren stated with wonderment at the sight of his husband. “How many is that?”

Placing the tea tray on the desk, he walked closer, cautious that Levi might suddenly lash out. His father used to throw drunken rages. Grisha would yell and shout, but he generally avoided physically hurting Eren, afraid that it would damage his money maker. There were a few times his father would throw things at him, but he was agile enough to dodge them. The brunet had known since he had presented as an omega that his father was disappointed in him. His mom was supportive and his father had been tolerable at least until the family business had begun encountering cash problems. Grisha had begun looking for alternative avenues for revenue; ultimately, auctioning his son off to the Ackermans.

“No idea.” Levi stared at the glass before downing it. “Want some, brat?”

“I think I’m good.” He shook his head, pouring himself some tea instead.

“Whatever.” There was a careless shrug. “You know we’re fucking screwed, right?”

“It’s not the end of the world.” Eren had originally had a moment of panic when the news broke. Although they had only been wed a few months, in the eyes of the law and most outsiders, he was on the ‘inside’ with the Ackerman’s. He didn't know whether to be relieved or even more worried when Levi didn't seem to have any idea what was going on.

“Shut up, brat.” Levi threw back his tumbler of cognac, and reached out to pour himself another glass.

“Levi… give it over here.” Eren slowly walked over while trying his best to emanate a calming scent, even though he was far from calm internally.

When Levi made no move to hand it over, Eren sighed, removing it from the table and putting it back on the shelf. Grey eyes glared at him while doing so, but Levi made no move to stop him. Eren wasn’t sure how much alcohol his husband had imbibed and he had never seen Levi drunk before, but he didn’t want to risk putting himself in the line of fire. Although there were many facets to his husband that he did not know at all, there were few places Eren could call home – he had already refused Grisha, not that his father had wanted him – and he fancied the ‘home’ was now what he shared with Levi.

“It’s not that bad, Levi. I mean you have most of your money and stuff.”

“As if. Almost everything will be tied up with the IRS and courts until they figure out what is what.”

Out of curiosity, Eren had taken up reading on news about other similar cases, wondering what would happen and which the more likely verdict was. Although he had spent most of his life in the dark when it came to his father’s company, the web he found himself tangled in was much more complex than the life he had had before, and being kept in the dark certainly did not help. There was no telling how far down the problem extended.

Although the job that he did was in a very specialized part of the main office, the aftershocks were clearly felt. Many clients had backed out of their projects and the calls with others were clearly strained. Eren had only just begun to feel more comfortable with, and at, work. But that would likely change. It was clear from the atmosphere in the office that he wasn’t the only one worrying about his future. The previous drone of activity had quieted down and there was a pall in people’s smiles. Many were stressed out about being laid off and being unable to find a job in the current climate.

“Weren’t you thinking of helping Erwin start up his company?” Eren was pretty sure the company was already well under way to being established after reading blogs and hearing the news on it. However, most of that was now overshadowed by the upcoming trial of Kenny Ackerman. “Maybe you could ask him for help.”

“ _That_?” Levi barked hollowly. “Doubt anyone would want to work with an Ackerman with all this shit.” The dark-haired alpha spat out his surname as if it were a curse. In some ways now, Eren understood the sentiment. It was a curse as all those associated with Kenny Ackerman and the Ackerman Group would have the entirety of their lives looked at through a microscope for any signs of wrongdoing. Levi was in no way immune to it – his mate was one of the most popular targets for the press lately – nor was he.

“But it wasn’t your fault.” Eren started, before realizing how little he knew of what Levi did and whether his husband had ties with the illegal activities Kenny had been arrested for. He knew that the older male had personal holdings and investments, from when they had gone over financials and signed the prenuptial agreement, but the rest of it was a black box. They had also gone to the bank and opened a joint bank account, in which his monthly allowance and some other miscellaneous funds were deposited into, but other than that, he really had no idea of what his husband’s job entailed or of his finances. “…is it?”

“Who knows.” The alpha shrugged nonchalantly, eyes fixated on the amber liquid swirling in the glass. It was only at times like these in which Levi became aware at how beautiful the colors seemed to sparkle, the light from the fireplace bouncing off in shards of rainbow yellows and oranges, in the crystal decanter.

“Talk to me, Levi. You’re not the only one who has to deal with this.” Even though theirs was an arranged marriage and there was no lost love between them, Eren was well aware that the public might view it utterly differently. They had posed multiple times in front of the camera after the wedding, mostly faking the happy couple act. Hell, they were alibis for one another; though in this particular instance it was the truth. “We _are_ married.”

“Marriage? You and me both know that this,” Levi made a dismissive click of his tongue, gesturing between the two of them with his tumbler of cognac, “isn’t a marriage. It’s some fucked up plan your dad and my uncle cooked up.”

“Okay, fine. It’s a fucked up plan.” Saying those words described everything Eren felt about his life at the moment. It was liberating hearing that he wasn’t the only one who thought so. Their situation was completely fucked up and there was no way to escape. “But it’s not going to change anything. The fact is that we’re married.”

“No shit. I bet your dad is not happy that the sacrificial son ended up marrying a beggar.” The alpha scoffed.

“You don’t know how it was like living with my father.” Eren bit back. Levi didn’t know what it was like returning home every day back in high school not knowing whether Grisha would be drunk or sober, and whether he would be locked in the basement or not. At least his father was mindful of the fact he was an omega and always made sure to have heat suppressants on hand, even if the reason was so that he wouldn’t accidentally get mated to someone Grisha didn’t approve.

“Tch, cry me a river, brat.”

Hearing Levi dismiss his past like that was the breaking point. Eren had tried to be nice and reason with the insufferable asshole, but he could not tolerate being treated like an infant whose opinion wasn’t worth a damn. Between the stress of being forced into a relationship he had never wanted and the small niche he had carved out for himself at work crumbling, he had been holding it in fairly well. But all his life had been like that and now that he was married, there was no way he was going to stand there and be beaten down once more.

“Oh, boo hoo, I doubt your uncle locked you in the basement without food and constantly told you what a failure you were!” Being called a failure was only the surface. Grisha had said many things to Eren over the years. The man accused him of killing his mother, for being a gay whore when he hugged Armin once, a retard when he brought back a B instead of an A in math, and a whole slew of names. At one point, Eren had seriously thought he was all those things, and if it weren’t for friends such as Armin, he might have done something drastic.

Breathing in deeply, Eren reined in his wayward emotions once more. His mother had once told him he had a fiery temperament, frequently getting into fights with the neighborhood bullies, but after she died, it had all gone away. Being angry only served to get him into more trouble and Grisha would punish him each and every time he got into another fight or stepped out of line. Eren supposed he had just somehow managed to suppress it all this time.

“Tch, you think that my life is all fucking sunshine and rainbows?” There was a bitter look as the dark-haired man took a sip of his liquor.

“Isn’t it? Levi Rivaille Ackerman, sole heir to the Ackerman empire? How many times do you think you’ve been on the front page of the news?” Grisha had made sure that Eren was up-to-date on everything the Ackermans, and a few of his other prospective mates, were up to for the last few years merely because he wanted to make sure Eren would be able to make intelligent conversation. “Dad used to talk about you all the time. I’m just a nobody compared to you.”

“Well, shit. You have my whole fucking life figured out, don’t you, brat?” Levi snarled, dropping his tumbler with a clear clang against the table surface. “You’re not the only one who’s had it rough.”

Eren could feel the dangerous aura around Levi, the air vibrating with tension, and making his inner omega tremble. But he wouldn’t back down.

“Why don’t you tell me then, Levi?” Eren raged, furious that Levi had belittled all the pain and suffering he had experienced with a mere scoff. “What did your uncle do? Punish you by making you eat four-star, instead of five-star meals? Oh, I know, he took away your two-thousand dollar a week allowance for a week. Or maybe you had to dress yourself, instead of having servants do it for you!”

Breathing heavily, Eren was glad to finally let it all out. He was sick and tired of having to suppress his emotions. His father used to lock him up in the basement without food or water whenever he disobeyed, and so he gradually learned to suppress his thoughts. As a child, his mom had been the one to calm him down and told him to count to ten before letting his anger the best of him. Even if their marriage was the furthest from a working relationship, he had tried to be reasonable with his husband.

“Are you done?” Eren flinched at the coolly-worded question. Lifting his eyes, there was a dark expression on Levi’s face. Those grey eyes were like chips of ice, cold and angry. As much as he wanted to continue his rant, there was something in that face that frightened him more than Grisha. His father had very rarely raised a hand to him, but Eren did not know if the same would hold true when it came to Levi.

“Err… yeah…” He nodded dumbly. His mind was a lot clearer now that most of it was out in the open.

“Let’s get something straight, you shit.” He bristled at the rude name, but kept quiet and allowed Levi to talk. “Why the fuck do you think Kenny took me in? Why do you think he chose you of all people to be my mate?”

“Let’s get something straight, you shit.” He bristled at the rude name, but kept quiet and allowed Levi to talk. “Why the fuck do you think Kenny took me in? Why do you think he chose you of all people to be my mate?”

The omega shrugged at the question. Before everything had exploded, Eren had heard rumors of Levi’s past – it was impossible not to given how much media attention was paid to the Ackermans – but no one around him paid any heed to them, and he had done the same.

“No? ‘course not. What was I expecting from a brat…?” Levi muttered to himself, before turning back to face Eren. “The bastard’s infertile and the only other Ackerman would be my second or whatever the fuck cousin whose parents’ eloped. He arranged this _marriage_ ,” the word was uttered with distaste, “to continue the fucking Ackerman line.”

The moment Levi had stepped foot into the house, one of the first things his uncle had told him was that his existence was for one reason, and one reason only, to make sure that the company did not fall into the wrong hands. Although both Levi was born out of wedlock and his second cousin, Mikasa, wasn’t, Kenny was enough of a racist bigot that the bastard had picked Levi because he was a male and was of European descent.

“I had as much _freedom_ as you had under that fucker’s thumb. I was picked up on the streets and forced on a plane when I was ten and shipped over here since the fucker had no heir. Sure I have food and clothes and live in a huge-ass mansion now, but have you ever lived on the streets begging for the smallest scraps? Watched your mom whore herself for money? Slept on cobblestones when it was raining? Walked until your feet bled since you didn’t have shoes? Since I have. So you keep your complaints to yourself, brat.”

Shocked, Eren could only gape at the scene those words painted. What the man had described was far worse than anything he had experienced. What Levi was saying couldn’t be true, could it? Warring internally over the veracity of the older man’s claims, he wasn’t sure whether to doubt or take them at face value. Levi did not seem like the type of person to lie, but Eren was certainly not one of those in the man’s inner circle. That said, some of the rumors about the man’s past _had_ insinuated that the man used to live on the streets. Many more, however, talked about Levi was secretly Kenny’s illegitimate child begotten with a prostitute.

“So then… Kenny’s not your dad?”

“That fucker?” Levi snorted, chuckling darkly. “I never knew my dad, but it sure as hell isn’t Kenny. The bastard was in a car accident as a kid and was never able to have children since. Serves him right.”

“Oh. So umm…” Eren trailed off, unsure of how or what to ask. He was genuinely interested in his husband’s past and this was the first time it had come up in conversation. Maybe it was the alcohol, but the dark-haired man was much more loquacious than usual.

“What is it now, brat?”

“What _did_ happen?”

“You want to know, brat?” Levi scoffed bitterly. “Fine, I’ll tell you.”

‘My mom, Kenny’s sister, was an omega just like you. She ran off to France with some guy – my dad – but he left her there. Shit happened and she died when I was six or something. After that, I lived on the streets for some time with a few other brats. Then Kenny came out of nowhere and forced me to come here. I was forced to learn English, learn manners and all that bullshit, work for him, and get hitched to a brat. That about sums it up.”

“Wow, that sucks.” There wasn’t much Eren could say after hearing all of that. Some of Levi’s reactions made sense now. However, his husband didn’t have to take it out on him just because the going got bad. Although Eren never had to live with a demanding uncle, his father had been just as controlling. “But that doesn’t mean you need to get so angry at me. We’re stuck in this together.”

“Fine.” Dark eyes bored into him, measuring and watchful. “What do you want me to do then?”

“I don’t know, but I’m sure we’ll think of something.”

“Tch, whatever.” Levi watched him for a moment, before turning back to the fire. “Go take a piss or sit down, brat. Your fidgeting is annoying.” It was strange seeing Levi so unhinged. Blasé, sure. But Eren had never encountered Levi the way he was acting now. Eyeing the open assortment of liquor, he was tempted to try some, but thought better of it as he sat down.

“Umm…” Eren started, wondering why Levi had told him to sit down.

“Listen carefully, I’m only going to say this once, brat.” Rapt with attention, Eren faced Levi who was still staring at the fireplace. “I have no fucking clue what’s going to happen, but I guarantee things are only going to get worse. The board is probably thinking of kicking me out. Shitty bastards. So if you want out of this shitfest, now would be the time. You have no reason to stay, brat, and you should really think about what you want to do before getting in too deep.”

“Out… as in divorce?” It almost sounded as though Levi _cared_ about what was going to happen to him. Surely, he hadn’t heard right? There was no way his stone-faced husband had just suggested that he leave.

“Sure. Whatever the fuck you want to call it.”

“I… I’ll think about it…” Eren hesitated. He had spent the last few weeks agonizing over that exact question, but it hadn’t seemed that viable of an option until Levi had come out and said it. And yet, now that it was out in the open, it made him consider the alternative even less. Eren had already come to the conclusion that none of it would be as bad as living under his father. There weren’t many other options left for him, however. And despite feeling bad for the older man, like Levi had said, he really needed to think of what was best for him.

His gut was telling him to not abandon Levi after all the man had done for him. It wasn’t much and even if it hadn’t been Levi’s plan in the first place, Levi had been the first one to actually give Eren an opportunity to become his own person. It might have been because Levi was ignoring him or didn’t care, but at work, even after making small mistakes, Levi hadn’t gotten rid of him yet.

And even if they divorced, it wasn’t like he could get bonded to anyone else. That was irreversible.


	7. Chapter 7

“You know with all your skills and financing, you could easily be a managing partner, Levi.”

“So you’ve told me repeatedly. But as I’ve said before, I doubt people would want to join if they knew an _Ackerman_ owned your business.” Levi spat the word out with distaste. The board had predictably given him a month’s notice to leave the company, leaving both him and his team to dry. He had tried arguing for allowing his team to keep their original jobs, but those on the board were trying to wipe the slate clean of any _Ackerman_ influence. They had even rebranded the company to some shitty name Levi didn’t want to think about.

The trial had begun a month ago and was proceeding at a snail’s pace. His uncle had hired the most expensive lawyers to make his case. Levi knew his uncle had friends in high places, but the police would had built up the case over multiple years and sifting through everything was what took up most of the time. They would have been foolish to try and indict Kenny without a solid case and physical evidence, and they certainly had a good amount of both.

Despite that, it was difficult for the prosecution to make any one claim stick given how big the company was. The defense Kenny’s men used was that much of the evidence – the switched out numbers and so on – was circumstantial. It wasn’t the job of the company president to micromanage finances and those activities could easily have been manipulated by some lower office grunt or two. In contrast, they were saying that the photographic evidence of the meeting Kenny had with the drug lords was faked and that multiple eyewitnesses had saw the man at his nephew’s wedding. Eren had been called up regarding the wedding and Kenny’s whereabouts that evening, though they brat wasn’t much help to either side.

Naturally, Levi found himself being called to the stand to testify. It was grueling to wait to be called to the stand and forced to answer stupid questions spanning the entirety of his relationship with Kenny. Many of the questions weren’t even related to the trial. They asked Levi everything about how he ended up in America to even whether he was in on Kenny’s scheme. At least a two weeks’ worth of working hours were wasted on the trial.

The board was becoming painfully aware of his uncle’s shortcomings. The legal proceedings had unearthed things that Levi wasn’t even aware of. And despite the amount of hours he had agreed to waste as part of his job as a character witness and company rep, they were still letting him go. If Levi was any sloppier or inefficient, he wouldn’t have enough time to wrap up all the remaining projects. “The whole thing reeks like shit.”

“That’s certainly one interpretation. But I still feel bad about leaving your name out of it.” Whatever negative feelings Erwin felt were hidden behind the slight smile the blond wore.

“Tch, you know as well as I do that having my name on it is only going to ruin your startup.” He crossed his arms and faced the giant blond. Despite everything going on with Kenny’s trial and the company, Levi had managed to pull together enough funds for Erwin’s startup. They had signed the paperwork just before the trial started and Erwin was just updating him on the progress.

“Fair enough, in my calculations the short term risk is worth the longer term return, however.” Levi wasn’t surprised Erwin had done a risk assessment before discussing such an offer. “Is there something else I can do? Perhaps make a spot in the company for you? I heard that you were ousted from your position on the board.” There was a small pause as Erwin amended his statement. “Of course, if you’re not a managing partner, I will have to treat and pay you accordingly.”

Erwin had quit his previous job on Wall Street to create a company focused on using data science techniques to come up with effective and more efficient solutions for the financial services industry. Half the company would be devoted to the data science side and the other half would be the corporate end, with specialized teams handling each class of clients. Such companies were a dime a dozen, but Levi knew Erwin had his fingers in many pies. The blond was excellent at navigating the social web and had many contacts sprawled around the globe who would be interested or knew people who would be interested in Erwin’s services.

“Let me think about it.” Even though Levi had expected Captain America to pull some kind of stunt and drag him over to the start-up, he still needed to think it through. It wouldn’t be much different from the work he was already doing or had done in the past, but there were other details to consider.

“Sure.” A small buzz caused Erwin to glance down at his wrist. “Crap. Sorry to cut this short, Levi, but I have a meeting at the bank soon.”

“Go. Don’t mind me.” Grunting his assent, Levi waved the blond away.

“Just let me know sometime in the next two weeks. I’d be happy to have you on the team.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.” After walking Erwin out of his office, he sat back down and sighed. Erwin was one of the only individuals right now who Levi knew wasn’t in a shithole. Hange was the other exception, but that was more because they were nuts and found perverse joy in the oddest things, but all of his other acquaintances were either backstabbing him or getting screwed over. Shifting gears from his meeting with Erwin to the work piled up on his desk was depressing.

Pushing the stack of paperwork for a later time, Levi stared out the window, watching the quiet hustle and bustle.  Tapping his fingers on the table, he contemplated his friend’s suggestion, silently weighing the pros and cons.

The largest downside was that Erwin’s startup might very well fail. Many startups couldn’t compete against existing giants and imploded or were gobbled up within a few years. It wasn’t guaranteed though. However, that was Eyebrows’ problem. If Erwin wanted to take a risk and hire him, he wouldn’t discount the opportunity simply because it could cripple the company. The blond must have already calculated the gains and losses; Erwin would never offer the position if he thought Levi’s worth to the company outweighed the risks. But aside from that, there wasn’t much downside.

In contrast, there were definitely a few upsides. The first and foremost was that he would no longer have to search for his next job and deal with shitheads turning him down without a fair review of his abilities. There was a reason people had thought of him as Kenny’s successor. He was damn good at what he did.

Glancing out the glass panels, he spied Gunther and Erd discussing something. It was a pity that in less than a month, the entire team would be jobless. They were an eclectic bunch, but damn good at their jobs. He hadn’t given them the notice yet, but they would be fools to think everything was fine. And the members in his team were no fools. Right now they were concerned with wrapping up any unfinished projects; there was nothing new with everything that was going on. Levi didn’t want to tell them the bad news, but it wasn’t like they were the only ones affected; he was also getting let go. Whether they would be getting severance pay was yet undetermined. The rocky financial situation of the company certainly did not help.

Even with the rebranding, others were taking advantage of their weakened state and headhunting employees, clients, and there were rumors of negotiations for buying a few of the more profitable subsidiaries. Even if the freefall of the company stock had finally stopped, billions had been lost in the crash and billions could be lost if Kenny was indicted. His uncle was no longer president of the company either. The board had called upon a technical clause citing that anyone guilty of illegal activities was to have their position terminated.

The only good news out of everything was that the investigation into him had ceased. The police had managed to unearth his past, but they couldn’t pin anything onto him since he had moved to America. But that was because to the best of his knowledge, he hadn’t done anything illegal. There were things in his childhood, but no one paid much attention to a street rat.

_Knock. Knock._

“What is it? Come in.”

“Here are the documents you wanted and black tea, sir.” Eren entered carrying a tray of tea and papers.

“Put it down.” Levi grunted, waiting for the tea to arrive his desk. Picking up the cup, he took a sip. Tea was really the only bright spot in the dreary workday. The entire floor was somber, depressed, waiting for the bomb to drop; everyone knew it was going to happen, they just didn’t know when. The hot liquid sliding down his throat helped him snap his unwilling mind back to work-mode. Somehow the tea Eren made for him was always titrated perfectly for his mood. It was black as usual, but the blend of leaves used differed; sometimes sweeter and other times more pungent. “How’d you know to bring me tea?”

“You always take a cup around now, so I figured.” There was a casual shrug from Eren as the papers were set down. His husband had begun to show more of his fire around Levi ever since his cognac-soaked night in the library. Despite the inebriation, he could remember most of what happened and the things he had divulged. The brat was still very much new to testing the boundaries of their relationship, but compared to before the brat was certainly interjecting his voice and giving his opinions more freely.

“These are the numbers you wanted, sir. And here are photocopies of the contracts and the report I submitted. Let me know if it’s good and I’ll submit it to the people in finance.” Grunting mechanically, Levi cast a cursory glance at the sheets of paper. He really didn’t want to think about work right now.

“Hmm…” Leveling his gaze onto the brunet, Levi wondered why Eren had decided to stay with him. The omega had informed a few days ago that he planned to stick with Levi at least while the trial was going on. “Why did you decide to stay, Yeager?” It certainly was not due to any romantic inclinations. Eren might work under him, but they weren’t close at all.

“It was the best option I had.” Eren’s reply was evasive, the younger male unwilling to meet his eyes. He had expected Eren to file for divorce or annulment if he was found guilty of crimes committed before their marriage – at least that was what Levi would have done – but the brunet had defied all expectations. As interested as Levi was in knowing the omega’s reasoning, more information was always better than less, he didn’t want to pry too much.

Before Levi could continue asking more questions, Eren deftly changed the topic. “What about you? How did your meeting with Erwin go?”

“As expected. Eyebrows invited me to join his company.”

“Join him? I thought you were working here. Unless… oh. _Oh_.” The light in those green eyes faded as the brunet realized what the unspoken message was. Levi had already mentioned to Eren the possibility of getting laid off, but the official notice had only arrived two days ago. They hadn’t even had the fucking courtesy to notify him in person. It had come as an email with the official letter arriving in his mailbox earlier today. “Have you told anyone else? They should know.”

“I know. I want to discuss a few things with those shitheads before telling everyone.” He was trying to schedule a meeting with the execs to discuss terms and see if he could strike a better deal. Although Levi had sold off his positions in the company and was getting terminated, he still had a little sway in things. His fate was a signed and done deal, but there might be a little wiggle room for others on his team. Gunther and Erd had been in the company for more than a decade and it would be a waste if such manpower was let go. A similar argument could be made for most of the team except for the newest members. And Eren. Levi was still trying to sort out what to do with his husband. “You’d better not leak the news, Yeager.”

“I won’t say anything.” Eren looked offended that Levi would even suggest such a thing. “But you should tell them soon.”

“Tch, brat.” Even if Eren had a point, the snot-nosed brat was becoming more and more independent, voicing his opinions at every turn. Levi didn’t blame Eren, no one enjoyed being bossed around, but it was different coming from the younger male who had been so reserved and quiet before. “Just get back to work. I’ll let you know when I need something.”

“Yes, boss.”

Finishing his tea off before it could get cold, Levi grabbed the first thing off the shitty stack of paperwork and began reading.

 

By the time four p.m. rolled around, Levi was pissed off. The day and come and gone and he still hadn’t managed to get the bastards who were firing him agree to a sit-down meeting. The longer it took to schedule a meeting, the worse the outcome was for his team. Replacements could be found to fill up vacancies and it would also mean less time for them to go on the job market. The secretary of the acting CEO said the bastard was busy and the rest of the two-faced shitheads weren’t replying to his calls. Levi had half a mind to leave the projects under him unfinished and take a month long vacation for the last few weeks, but that would also reflect badly on his team and they didn’t deserve such harsh treatment.

He supposed his mind was already made up after his meeting with Erwin, but he just wanted the extra time to consider the _other_ factors. Eyeing the document in his hand left from the green-eyed brat a couple of hours ago, Levi picked up the phone and called Erwin. It didn’t take long for the blond to pick up. “Oi, Eyebrows.”

“Yes?”

“If I agree to work for you, can you do me a favor?”

“Depends. What were you thinking of?”

“Hire Eren.”

“Your husband?”

“Yeah.” Normally Levi wouldn’t have bothered, but Eren was a special case. The brat’s life was even more screwed up than his. Although the others on his team might have been knocked down a peg or two given their association with him, but they were capable enough and had other work experience. The only thing on the brat’s resume was working for him, and only for a couple of weeks at best. Although it was Hange’s idea, he was ultimately the one who found Eren his current position. The shitfest with Kenny wasn’t Levi’s fault, but he felt responsible for dragging the brat into such turbulent waters.

Eren was married to and worked for him, so there wasn’t much hope for the brat to land a good job. Working as a barista or some shitty low paying job was always a possibility, but that was just a fucking waste. Of course, he might get lucky, but Levi doubted that. Whoever hired Eren would have to be hiding under a rock or some shit; their photos had been plastered on the front page over the last couple of months.

“Sure. But Levi…”

“Yes?”

“I might be able to hire him, but don’t expect me to treat him differently. I will fire him if he doesn’t live up to the same standards as the rest of my employees.”

“Tch, you know I would never do that.” Even if he couldn’t see the man smiling, Levi knew from Erwin’s voice that the weird shitty twinkle was back in those eerily blue eyes. Mocking him. The blond wasn’t buying a word he said. “If you’re suggesting I favor him, I _don’t._ ” Levi stressed. The skeptical hum on the other end of the line didn’t change one bit. In fact, the silence only seemed to stretch on. “Fine, put him in my team then. You know how hard I work my people.”

From what he had witnessed of Eren Yeager, the younger man was a hard worker and would no doubt try his best. Eren had proved that when working with his team earlier, but more importantly, the brat had never given up when Kenny’s trial had begun. It might have been sheer stubbornness, but whatever drove Eren was something which would be invaluable in any organization. Above all else, Levi was a pragmatist and there was a well of untapped potential in the shitty brat. Of course, he could be wrong in those assumptions, but a hard worker was better than a genius with a shitty personality. He could attest to that personally.

“Really, Levi? Can’t leave him out of your sight, can you?” the alpha snarled at the teasing jibe. Eren was easy on the eyes, but that didn’t mean he was indispensable. They both knew that he would never have suggested such a thing if there weren’t some value in it. “I never knew you were so fond of your new husband. Even calling him by his first name.”

“Shut up, Eyebrows.” Levi scowled. Fucking smug bastard with huge-ass caterpillar eyebrows. He would have never asked Erwin for a favor if he hadn’t thought it necessary. He hadn’t asked Eren yet and the brat might not even agree to work for Erwin. After everything that had happened, however, Eren’s prospects were slim; at least any prospects that were comparable in salary and company. The brat could get lucky and find an opening somewhere, but working for Erwin, even if for a few years, would mean access to Erwin’s vast network of connections. That certainly would not hurt. “Assign him wherever you want. It was just a suggestion.”

“If you say so.” He could hear the taunt in Erwin’s voice. If the blond was in front of him, Levi would have loved to give Erwin a nice shiner, but that wasn’t possible. “Before I hire him, however,” Captain America’s voice turned serious, “I would love to meet him in person.”

“I’ll let him know.” Erwin would be stupid _not_ to meet with any potential employees before hiring them. Especially since there would only be a small handful of a hundred or so individuals to start with.

Eren still wasn’t the most capable member of Levi’s team, and needed a little more time to get things done, but he was a fast learner and everyone seemed to love the brat. Eren had seamlessly integrated himself with everyone on Levi’s team. In fact, they seemed to like the brat more than they liked him. Levi often caught the brunet and Petra in cahoots discussing something he wasn’t privy to. Of course they still got their work done, but Eren seemed to be one of those individuals who people naturally gravitated towards. It was the same during the events they had attended together, events that they were no longer invited to, but oftentimes, it would take minimal effort for people to warm up to the brat.

“Great. Just give him my contact information and we can set up a time and place.”

“K. Talk to you later, Eyebrows.”

“I swear, Levi. One day…”

“Yeah, whatever. Later.”

 

* * *

 

Eren eyed the ringing phone for a second, before picking it up. “Sir?”

“Oi, Yeager.”

“Yes?”

“Get in here.” There was a faint click as it disconnected.

 _Okay…_ Placing the receiver back on the phone, he saved the report he had been working on and stood up.

The summons had been abrupt as ever, but Eren had learned to expect that from Levi. The man was definitely good at what he did, but he sorely lacked social skills. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t put on a good act, Levi simply didn’t care.

Making his way to the office, Eren cast a cursory glance over the others in his team who were hard at work. There had been no formal announcement from Levi, but Eren knew it was coming. They all did. It just wasn’t clear when the notice would arrive, but everyone was bracing for the worse. Breathing in deeply, he knocked on the door.

“Yeager?”

“Yeah.”

“Come in.”

Shutting the door gently behind him, Eren turned to face the familiar dark-haired alpha. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Sit down, Yeager.” Pulling the closest chair, Eren took a seat. As always it was impossible to tell what Levi was thinking, looking at him with that inscrutable expression. It was difficult not to fidget under the gaze of those dark eyes piercing into his very essence.

“What are your plans?”

“Huh?”

Levi scowled darkly. Eren would have retorted that the question made no sense without context, but the dark cloud buzzing around the alpha made him pause. Levi exhaled loudly, fingers thrumming on the table. “I already mentioned that the board is cutting off the loose ends. I’m going to try and negotiate for them not to lay off everyone, but I doubt they’ll let you stay.”

“Okay…”

“So, any idea where you want to work or what you’re interested in after?”

“Not really.” His mind had been preoccupied with where he was going to live. Most of the staff had been let go or quit and it was only a matter of time before things went sideways. At least money wasn’t as big a concern at the moment. There was a few thousand in the joint account with Levi, which was more than enough for a few months.

Eren had never been on the job market and knew virtually nothing about job hunting. The only resume he had was from high school, and working under Levi was the only line he could add to it. Several weeks of experience under an employer currently on trial was not good either. There weren’t many skills he could market either. He had only just started to master his current tasks, and there was still so much he hadn’t learned.

“Would you be interested in working for Erwin?”

“Erwin? As in Erwin Smith?” Eren blinked, confused by the sudden question.

“Yes, Captain America with weird-ass caterpillar eyebrows.”

“Umm… sure?” He couldn’t always rely on Levi or Levi’s contacts for work, but Eren couldn’t help the sigh of relief from hearing such an offer. His husband was still very much a stranger to him, but there were these weird moments of kindness which almost seemed like genuine concern.

Petra had cautioned Eren against forming any hard judgments, even citing that Levi was one of the harsher, but fair bosses she had ever worked with.  Most of the members in Levi’s team thought the same as well. Aside from the alpha’s quirk of requiring all desks to be clean during non-work hours, they respected Levi as a boss and admired his work ethic and abilities. After many hours in the office, Eren was beginning to understand why.

Levi worked as hard as everyone else, and would never push too much onto his employees without confirming whether the workload was too much. If someone had to miss work due to an emergency, such as the day Erd had caught the flu, Levi picked up the slack. He didn’t dole out praise readily, and only when he genuinely meant it. And even with all the court hearings, Levi somehow managed to stay on top of things. Eren knew he certainly would not have been able to do so.

After all those heartfelt and rather drunken truths had spilled out, though, Eren didn’t know how to view his husband. Everything was a shade of grey. It was only a matter of how dark or light it was.

Objectively it made sense how Levi had become so jaded and cold. The man was harsh and ignored him, but aside from those hard words before and on their marriage, he wasn’t cruel. It wasn’t as though Levi was singling him out as a leper. The man behaved the same way to all those around him.

“Tch, if you’re interested, here’s his business card. He wants to meet with you before the final decision.”

“Sure.” Picking up the creamy business card that read ‘ERWIN SMITH’ he made a mental note to look up the company mentioned on the bottom. Eren knew Levi and Erwin had been discussing some kind of joint business venture, but he didn’t know much about it.

“Good. Now get me those numbers by the end of the day.”

Unfazed at how quickly his husband transitioned back to business, Eren nodded. “Got it.”


	8. Chapter 8

“Hello Eren, thank you for agreeing to meet.” Eren nodded, taking the outstretched hand and shaking it. Erwin’s grip was warm, firm, and the friendly smile was completely different from the coldly detached manner Levi treated him and everyone on the team. “Please, have a seat.” The blond gestured at the chairs, waiting until Eren was seated to continue.

Whoever chose the space and decorated it had good taste. Erwin’s office space was warm, filled with light and large windows. The whitewashed walls were unadorned, but the shafts of sunlight streaming through cast the entire room in a golden glow. There was a potted fern on the window sill and a small fig tree in the corner.

“So how are you doing, Eren?” The welcoming environment and friendly handshake made him want to relax his guard, but the sparkle Erwin’s eyes told a different story.

“I’m fine, sir, thank you. How about yourself?” As benign as the customary exchange was, it reminded him of when he was on called to testify in court.

“I’m good.” A commanding aura surrounded the giant blond. Eren had only met Erwin a few times, but there was something that made a person pay attention to the man. Perhaps it was how he comported himself, but Erwin was cloaked in authority similar to, but also different from, Levi. He didn’t know Erwin that well, but from he knew, both alphas were forces to be reckoned with.

They weren’t polar opposites, but Erwin was the type of person people liked and trusted, while Levi would be respected, but feared. If Eren were to compare the two of them to wartime movie characters, both would be highly regarded for their skills, but in vastly different ways. Erwin would be one of those wartime generals who was always gathering information, making allies, and inspiring others to fight, all the while planning his next move; whereas Levi was like one of the conquerors of old, cleaving his way through the field from sheer willpower alone.

“So…” Eren began hesitatingly, wanting to get the visit over with. “What did you want to see me about?” They both knew this wasn’t a social call. Erwin might have agreed with Hange’s suggestion that he work for Levi back when they had first met, but the situation was different now. His skills, or lack thereof, would have been of minor consequence in a giant enterprise – Levi could have reassigned him to the cleaning crew or something – but one man could easily mess up a startup.

He didn’t know much about the company Erwin was starting, nor did he have any idea why Levi had suggested him in the first place. Eren would never have picked himself if he were in charge of hiring and looking for people like those he worked with. He certainly wasn’t the most qualified candidate. Petra, Oluo, and the rest of Levi’s team would have been a much better choice. So why had Levi introduced and suggested him?

“Let’s not talk about that just yet,” Erwin replied. His expression still friendly and open. “How are you doing at work? It must be tough with the trial going on and all the staff cuts.”

It definitely was difficult with everything going on. For the first while, Eren had been afraid he was suddenly going to lose his job or end up in jail given his close association with the Ackerman family. Neither of those events had happened, thankfully. The waiting wasn’t much better though.

“Yes, but even then, it’s been a great learning opportunity.” He hedged. Erwin already knew he had never been employed prior to this – he had sent his resume to the man earlier, plus there was the interaction with Hange which had ultimately led to his current position – but the experience was definitely great. Not only was it something he would need, but it was an opportunity to learn and see the real workforce for himself. Eren had heard stories and third-party accounts of others’ experienced, but being in such a situation first-hand was entirely different.

He had been a bundle of nerves the first couple of days, treading in shallow waters and feeling his way around, but the sensation of being lost soon faded. What surprised him most was how many odd tasks Levi’s team was involved with. They weren’t like any sales, marketing, or finance division Eren had heard of; instead everyone did a little of everything. For the most part, the work was related to finance, but they also worked directly with some clients. It was a little overwhelming at times – there were a few times he had worked his lunch hour – but it kept him busy.

Thus far, no one on the team judged him for being an omega or for being married to Levi. Questions were asked about what his life was like, but they were also respectful enough not to pry too much. There were a few jokes bandied about when Levi wasn’t present, but no one took it seriously. They treated him the same way they treated each other, professional and friendly.

“That’s good to know.” The light emanating those shining blue orbs didn’t dull. “I’ve been hearing things about you.”

“Really? I hope it’s all good and there’s nothing upsetting.” Eren chuckled half-heartedly at himself. He wondered who was the snitch. The only people he knew of who were mutual acquaintances was Levi and Eren had it on good authority that Levi disliked saying positive things about most people. Period. Of course, he could always be wrong. “I don’t believe they would be any good, Mr. Smith.”

“Please, just Erwin.” The blond shook his head. “There’s no need for such formalities. Mr. Smith was my father and it just sounds so stuffy.”

“Sorry, Erwin.” He immediately corrected himself.

“There’s no need to apologize. And you needn’t worry about what I’ve heard. If none of it was good, I would never have agreed to Levi’s suggestion. He may be a good friend, but I have my own company to run as well.”

Eren furrowed his brow at Erwin’s words. The way Erwin phrased it made it seem like Levi had said both good _and_ bad things about him. It made him deeply curious. His husband and boss had treated him the same as always, so Eren had automatically assumed none of it could have been that positive.

Erwin must have noticed something as a small amused chuckle came from the man. “Don’t worry, Eren. Levi is often blunt and most take it the wrong way, but I’ve known him for so long, I know how to read between those lines.”

“Umm, okay.” Erwin’s statement didn’t help ameliorate his worries, but he dropped it. It would have been rude to ask or pursue the issue further.

“So, tell me. How do you like working in Levi’s team?”

“It’s been a great experience. I’ve learned a lot. Everyone on the team has been really supportive and well… I’ll miss working with them.”

Levi had finally notified everyone about the situation two days ago. Although they had all expected something like it happening and Eren had known of it in advance, the reality was difficult to handle. In a little more than a month, the team would be splintered. Erd had found a new position on the west coast. Gunther was being transferred to another department at one of struggling branch offices. Oluo and Petra were staying in town, but they would have to go through the job hunting process. The rest of them were in similarly dire straits, and the glum mood had persisted the rest of the afternoon.

“And what of Levi? How are you getting along with your husband? Do you enjoy working under him?”

The question made him pause. There was an uncanny blue light in Erwin’s gaze that seemed to pierce through any lies he might have otherwise told. Almost no one aside from socialites and reporters – not that those were often – questioned his relationship with Levi.

“Yes…?” Eren carefully measured his words before responding. His relationship with Levi, both as a mated alpha-omega pair and as a boss-subordinate, didn’t seem to overlap at all. At one point he thought it would have played a role, but it didn’t. There were a few snarky comments from the older man, but Levi rarely brought their (non-existent) private life to work. Learning from example, Eren did the same and treated Levi as his boss, nothing else.

“I really respect his skills and acumen, but I wouldn’t say that he’s the most… social person?” What else was he supposed to say? He didn’t know Erwin well enough to come up with an appropriate response.

Levi somehow managed to stay on top of everything going on, even with all the meetings the man seemed to attend, but it was a rare day in hell to catch the alpha in a good mood. He didn’t forbid anyone from taking their breaks, but rarely partook in office small talk, preferring to work through his breaks.

“There’s no need to mince words with me, Eren.” Erwin chuckled. “Levi’s certainly not good at many things, particularly those involving another human being.”

If they were drinking wine, he would have clinked glasses with the man. That was an apt way of phrasing the older man’s nature.

Despite his abilities and efficiency at work, Levi had many failings. Chief among them was how callous and detached he was, seeming to be ruled by hard cold logic and facts. Or in the case of work, results. Deliver and you would be in the clear. Fail to do so and your head would be on the chopping block. Not that anyone had actually gotten beheaded. But it was something they joked about.

Eren doubted he had even seen Levi smile. There were those forced smiles for the press and for appearances, but it never quite reached his eyes. If anything, whenever Levi was asked to or had to smile for appearances’ sake, it only soured the alpha’s mood further.

“I wouldn’t word it quite like that, but I can see what you mean.” Eren replied diplomatically. Even though Erwin seemed friendly, it was difficult to know how the blond regarded him. It was entirely possible that this meeting was simply a sanity check on Erwin’s part to make sure he wasn’t some crazy and could work with a team. But, alternatively, there was a chance Erwin thought he was ill-equipped to work under him and was ascertaining his abilities.

The rest of the conversation proceeded rather smoothly after it steered more towards work than his relationship with Levi. There were times when he felt his response was stilted and too mechanical, but it was pretty much what Eren had expected. There were questions about the projects he had worked on and the skills he had. He was prepared for those questions at least. And before he knew it, the hour had rushed by.

“Well, it was nice seeing you again, Eren.”

“You too.” Eren followed Erwin’s cue and stood up, shaking the blond’s hand.

“Come, I’ll walk you to the elevator.” Eren stepped through the door Erwin held open, waiting for the man to lead the way.

The only sound was the staccato clicking of their shoes on the tiled floor as they made their way to the other side of the building. The rest of the floor was conspicuously empty, but he could see what the office would look like after all positions were filled. It was like most office buildings with an open space with cubicles in the middle and offices along the outer wall. Yet the wooden panels dividing each workstation was made of light pine, giving a similar warm atmosphere as Erwin’s office.

“How is the trial going?” Erwin prompted as they neared their destination.

“Long. I’m just glad I don’t need to be there for most of it.” The memory of those hours being grilled at the stand made him want to groan. With all the questions and evidence being presented, it had been difficult to know when he was going to get called up. And when he had, he had predictably been asked numerous questions about his relationship with Levi and association with Kenny Ackerman. At least he had been spared the accusatory questions from the prosecution intimating he played a larger role in everything.

“I know how you feel. They interviewed me several times asking about Levi and our business together.”

“Really? I thought the police absolved him though?” He glanced over in surprise at the giant blond. It wasn’t unrealistic for the man to have been questioned, but Eren had always assumed the target of the questions was Kenny, not Levi. Thinking back, he _had_ been interviewed multiple times about his relationship with Levi. It had taken him some time to convince them that he really didn’t know much about his husband’s work, and even then they hadn’t been that convinced.

“They did, but he was a pretty sticky situation for a while.” Erwin hummed thoughtfully as they neared the metal doors. “Shouldn’t the verdict be coming down soon?”

“I’m not too sure myself, but I think so.” Eren sighed at the reminder. “I’m just glad it’s finally going to be over.”

“True. It must have been a difficult couple of weeks.” Erwin had no idea how difficult they had been. After two and a half months, it was finally coming to a close. “By the way, where do you live now, Eren?”

“Huh?” He was startled by the sudden change in topics.

“The last time we met at the estate, but I’d assume with the trial and all the chaos that you might have found a place closer to downtown. If Kenny is found guilty, they’ll be taking the deed away, so it might be a good idea to find some place.”

“Well… I haven’t really thought about it. I know I’ll have to move eventually, but…” he trailed off, unsure how to finish the thought.

“Is that so? What about Levi’s condo?”

 _Huh? Levi has an condo?_ Eren blinked. He wanted to smack himself on the forehead. Of course Levi had other properties. The thought had entirely slipped from his mind. And when he did remember about it, the idea of moving to and living in one of those places didn’t seem likely. Like his current home, there was a chance everything would be seized given how the funds to pay for the place were funneled through illegal channels.  

“You seem surprised.”

“Yeah, well with everything going on, I kind of forgot.” Eren smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. It was a lame excuse, even in his ears, but everything had sprung out of the blue.

“Fair enough. You should ask Levi about it. Perhaps you guys could move in together. Looking for a new place is always an ordeal and the negative publicity is definitely not in your favor.”

“Sure. Thank you for the suggestion.”

“No problem. I’ll talk to you soon, Eren. Tell Levi I said hi.”

“Will do. Bye.” Stepping into the elevator, Eren nodded, letting out the breath he was holding as soon as the doors closed. It felt like it had gone decently well, but he wouldn’t know until he heard from Erwin again. To the best of his knowledge, the position was already his and this was simply a formality. But there was no way to know whether this was truly the case or not.

 

* * *

 

“Hey Levi?”

“Hmm?”

“Erwin mentioned you have an apartment in downtown. Is this true?”

Levi scowled at the mention. It was a small place he had rented with Erwin in university, before buying it from the owners and renovating it after he graduated. The only people who knew of it were himself, Erwin, and Hange. No guests were ever allowed and it was a place of refuge for him when he was younger. He used to stay out to avoid dealing with Kenny’s expectations, but he had decreased his use of the condo after getting access to company penthouse. Unlike the company’s building which he no longer had access to, the two-bedroom apartment was in no way affiliated with Kenny or work.

“Yes.” He gritted out reluctantly. He had been wondering whether and when to discuss it with Eren, but Erwin beat him to the punch.  “What about it?”

“I was wondering…” The brat seemed reluctant to voice the actual question, but Levi understood what Eren was trying to say nonetheless. “…err, nevermind. What’s going to happen if your uncle gets convicted?”

That was the million-dollar question right there. The rug was bound to get pulled from beneath him and the brat sometime soon. Even a naïve bystander would be able to tell that some of the charges against Kenny would stick. Because he and Mikasa were family they would technically have legal rights over anything not seized by the courts, but it wasn’t worth it. Levi had never liked living in a bullshit mansion and the upkeep and property taxes were absurd. Even then, many things might go to the state simply because they were purchased with illegal funds as the prosecution had brought up. Levi wanted nothing to do with all of it.

Right now he was still in the mansion because someone needed to manage it in the infinitely tiny off-chance Kenny wouldn’t get thrown in jail. Living here also meant they had their own rooms and could operate fairly independently, but that luxury would vanish if they shared an apartment. Particularly if it was a two-bedroom place with only one bed.

The situation was troubling.

On one hand, like with the job, he felt a modicum of responsibility for getting Eren embroiled with the clusterfuck known as Kenny Ackerman. Neither of them had much choice, but he had been the one who had agreed to the damned marriage, if only to get Kenny to stop annoying the fuck out of him.

But on the other hand, he valued his private space and cleanliness. There was no telling what having another person in the apartment would do to the place. Living with Erwin had been tolerable, but only just.

Internally warring with himself, he barely heard Eren when the brat spoke up again. “Umm… Levi?”

“Yeah? What?” Eren was taken aback from the dark growl he made. He hadn’t meant to let his frustration through, but it had come out anyways. Levi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, brat. I have no clue what’s going to happen either, Yeager.”

“Oh…”

Yeah… no one really knew what the fuck was going to happen. If Kenny miraculously managed to get away with a slap on the wrist, his uncle would skin him alive for testifying _against_ him. It wasn’t like he had perjured himself, but the words he had uttered were damning. During the cross-examination he had revealed telling his uncle about the millions in lost revenue and altered records, and Kenny’s unwillingness to pursue the matter further. If the man’s own heir-presumptive was unwilling to support him, who else was there?

“I’ll leave you alone then.”

Watching the retreating figure of the omega, Levi scowled at the welling of guilt in him. Hange would definitely tease him about growing a heart and becoming sentimental, but it was difficult to suppress his instincts upon catching his mate’s scent of rejection. Eren gave off the impression of a beaten dog with his tail between his legs. “Fuck.”

“Levi?” The brat had sharp ears, turning around and shooting a questioning look at him. “Did you say something?”

He wanted to deny it, but seeing those guileless, innocent eyes watching him was like a punch to the gut.

Despite the way he treated people, it wasn’t as though Levi didn’t care, he just didn’t care _enough_. He had grown up in a dog-eat-dog world. No one but Farlan and Izzy had held out a helping hand, so he had never felt the need to do the same. It was unclear what had happened to them – he had made inquiries but no one paid much attention to kids on the streets – and he hated his uncle for tearing him away from his best friends. But that was in the past.

Now, he had to contend with an omega. And not just any omega. _His_ mate.

“Fuck.” He swore under his breath again, immediately regretting the thought that flashed through his mind. It was impossible to quash the traitorous voice in his head that taunted him, whispering that the brat was his responsibility the same way Izzy had been his and Farlan’s, and he couldn’t abandon Eren the same way he had been forced to abandon his best friends.

“Are you free this tomorrow?” The voice in his head immediately smiled, quieting down as he gave in.

“Yes?”

“Good. I’ll show you the apartment after work. We can figure out what to do after that.”

“Okay.” Even if Eren’s reply was short and quick, the lightness in the omega’s voice made his inner alpha grin. Levi could almost hear Erwin taunting him with some shitty line. _See? That wasn’t too difficult._

Fucking eyebrows…


	9. Chapter 9

“Home sweet home, huh.” Eren breathed to himself, as the apartment door slammed shut behind him. It was weird thinking of Levi’s apartment as home. But it was between here or living on the streets. And he certainly did not want to live on the streets.

Two people in a two bedroom, or in this case a one bedroom and one office, apartment was a certainly little cramped compared to the mansion. Levi had mentioned clearing out some space, but he wasn’t sure how much space that would be realistically. And so with great difficulty, Eren had tried to pack only the bare minimum – clothes, his computer, and a few trinkets – but even that had taken up several boxes and luggage bags. Levi hadn’t been pleased when he had seen everything that needed to be loaded into the car, but then again, Levi never looked pleased.

He had always had his own room when growing up. Living in such close proximity with another person would be like having a roommate. Albeit one who hated having his height mentioned, had absurdly high standards of cleanliness, and most importantly… to whom he was married to.

“Oi, you finished, Yeager?” Eren jerked his head up as the dark-haired man came into view wearing a scowl.

_Speak of the devil._

“Yes, I just got the last of the boxes.” Disapproving eyes bored into his back as he took of his shoes and placed them in the shoe rack in the closet. Straightening up, he slid the closet closed and took a few steps into the apartment.

Before he had even moved in, Levi had laid out several unbendable rules and Eren intended to obey them to the best of his abilities. Most, such as ‘no guests allowed’ or ‘no pets allowed’ were simple and straightforward. But there were a few such as the necessity to take off shoes once inside which would take a little more practice before it became routine.

Dropping his bag onto the pile of boxes stacked in a corner, he wondered where all his stuff was going to go. There hadn’t been many things to move. Mostly clothes, a few books, his laptop, and few mementos of his childhood. The apartment was already fully furnished, so they didn’t have to worry about furniture and such. Anything that wasn’t already here was being donated or seized by the courts.

“Good. I’ve cleared out some space in the closet.” Levi had no difficulty picking up the luggage bag and hauling it effortlessly to his room. It wasn’t the first time Eren was envious of alphas and their physical strength. Even if the alpha was shorter than him. There had been multiple times in the past when one’s nature led to an unfair advantage, such as during gym class or track day. But those were in the past now. “Put what you can there and leave everything else packed for now. Follow me.”

Grabbing the smaller suitcase, he followed the older male into the lone bedroom in the apartment. Eyes darting around the apartment, Eren was not surprised to find it unearthly clean. The first time he had seen the place it had been clean, but Levi had muttered something about it being dusty, and now it was _pristine_. The kitchen looked like it had never been used before, the stovetop and fridge seeming to sparkle. And the granite countertop was similarly uncluttered and shiny. He wondered how long it had taken to get the condo to such a state.

Tearing his eyes away from the ultra-clean premises, he hurried after Levi.

Even though he had seen the bedroom before, Eren took a moment to appreciate the room. It was tastefully decorated in shades of dark sage and white. The space was adorned with a dark cherry dresser, two nightstands, and a matching bed frame. The dresser door, window frame, and paneling were all white, while the walls looked like they came straight from a forest.

Eren wondered who had chosen the color scheme. The room gave off an air of serenity and peace. With sunlight streaming in from the large window, he could easily imagine himself in a forest from all the surrounding earthy greens and red-brown hues. The living room and kitchen were also nice, but they were more generic with white wainscoting and neutral tones. The bedroom was completely at odds with what he associated with Levi, whose wardrobe was monotonous with whites, blacks, and dark grays.

“Here you go.” Levi set the luggage bag down without preamble and slid open the closet revealing nearly half of it empty. It was much more space than Eren had anticipated, and he was grateful for it. “My stuff’s on the right. You take the left. Make sure you fold everything and don’t leave your dirty laundry lying around. There’s a hamper for it there.” Eren grimaced at the mental imagery. He knew he wasn’t always the cleanest person growing up, but he had never left a pile of dirty clothes around either.

The man then walked over to the large wooden dresser, unceremoniously pulling open the third drawer. “This and the next one are also yours.”

“Okay.” Nodding, he set the bag down. That was definitely more space than Eren had anticipated. “What about the rest of it though?” He wouldn’t mind working in the living room, but there were a few small things such as pictures he wanted to take out.

“We’ll figure out where to put the rest of your shit afterwards.”

“Ah,” he paused, wanting to thank Levi for sharing the apartment, but decided in the last moment not to. The alpha had already made it patently clear it didn’t matter. “…sure.”

Hearing the footsteps fade as Levi walked away, he turned back to the open dresser. If not for the weird circumstances surrounding his move-in, he would almost _think_ that they were cohabiting. Technically they were… but it was also different from what cohabiting implied.

By the time Eren had folded and put away his clothes, it was nearly ten in the evening. An hour had flown by without him realizing it. The drive from the estate had taken an hour and a half no thanks to traffic, and the rest of the day had been spent dealing with last-minute packing and unpacking. Eren was thoroughly exhausted despite not having done that much.

Grabbing a change of clothes and his toiletries, he walked out of the bedroom. It was eerily quiet. He could make out the faint hum of street noise, but there was no sound inside the condo.

“Levi?” Eren called out. When there was no answer, he walked over to the front door to check whether the alpha had gone out. The polished loafers gleamed dully in the light, which meant the man was still at home.

Padding his way to Levi’s office, he found the door ajar. Gently pushing it in a little more, he made out the sight of his husband engrossed with something on the computer. He knocked quietly, not wanting to disturb the alpha.

“What?”

“Mind if I use the shower, Levi?”

“Go ahead.”

Walking to the bathroom, he hurriedly stripped and stepped into the tub. Hot water blasted over him, melting away the tension and stress of the last couple of days.

The end date for Kenny’s trial was drawing close. Most pundits predicted it would be over in a handful of days and no one doubted the former president of the Ackerman group would escape scot free.

It wasn’t just the trial which was tiring. Yesterday had been the last day at work, and everyone had scrambled to get things in order before they left. As unhappy as it was not seeing his colleagues anymore, it was a relief to be free of such an oppressive environment. Whispers trailed him whenever he was in the building and he could feel the pointed looks on his back.

Grabbing the shampoo, he rubbed it into his hair, combing through his soapy locks. Rubbing the suds out of his eyes, he realized he had forgotten the soap. Scanning the vicinity, he spied a bar on the side. Making a quick prayer that Levi wouldn’t mind, he worked it into a fine lather and cleaned himself off. After rinsing off, he turned off the water, only to realize he hadn’t brought a towel or anything. Spying some fluffy dark green ones hanging on a hook, he grabbed it and toweled off. The older man might tear into him later, but it was better than trekking water over the entire apartment.

Eren came out of the shower ready to head for bed. He was exhausted and desperately needed shut eye, if only to get some peace and quiet. Walking to the bedroom, it took him a moment to realize that there was only one bed. Was he supposed to sleep on the bed?

They hadn’t discussed sleeping arrangements and he was a little uncomfortable with assuming the bedroom was his. It _was_ technically his husband’s apartment after all. Even though there was a nice king-sized mattress in the bedroom and fitting two people wouldn’t be a problem, Eren had no idea what Levi had planned. He had never slept with his husband aside from their not-so-wedding night. Figuring it was safer to ask than assume anything, he padded to the living room, searching for the dark-haired alpha.

It wasn’t difficult to locate Levi with the soft glow of lamplight pointing out exactly where and what his husband was doing. “Umm… Levi?”

“Yeah?”

“There’s only one bed.”

“No shit, brat.” The man didn’t look up, continuing to read his papers.

“Are we… err… sharing it…?” Eren stammered, unsure of how to proceed. They _could_ share the bed, but the omega wasn’t sure whether he would be able to sleep or not if that were the case. Not only was it Levi’s bed, but aside from their wedding night, they had always slept in separate rooms. Sleeping next to Levi would only make him nervous. It was always possible for Eren to sleep on the sofa or something, but Levi man didn’t seem like he was leaving anytime soon, making that an unlikely alternative. Unlike Levi, Eren needed his sleep. His body was going to crash anytime now with all the packing and moving they had done. “Or, never mind… I’ll take the sofa; you sleep on the bed.”

“You can take the bed. I’ll sleep here.” The reply came as a grunt.

“Here?” Blinking, Eren wanted to make sure he hadn’t misheard. The arrangement Levi suggested sounded amazing, but Eren was too used to receiving the short end of the stick.

“The sofa, brat.” Levi gestured with a nod at the sofa next to him.

“Are you sure…? It’s your bed…” Eren knew it was comfortable as far as sofas went, having sat on it earlier, but sleeping on it every day didn’t seem fun.

From the moment Levi had invited him to stay, Eren felt like he was burdening the man once more. It wasn’t like his husband had done anything wrong. In fact, Levi had _saved_ him from having to figure out living accommodations. Sometimes he wondered whether his husband considered him a burden. Eren certainly felt like he was one. He was an extra mouth to feed, clothe, and even his employment was through Levi’s connections. If his husband had been more like Grisha, and Eren was highly thankful that was not the case, he might have already ditched Eren. Of course there was the minor thing about being mates, but even then, Eren was glad that the world hadn’t crashed around him so terribly.

“Tch, take the damn bed. I don’t sleep much anyways.” Levi finally looked at him in exasperation. Eren had sometimes heard his husband returning in the wee hours of the morning or sounds coming from elsewhere in the mansion the odd instances he somehow awoken before dawn broke. Insomnia could certainly explain most of it. Levi sounded tired as tired as he looked. The dark rings around his eyes were more prominent and the air around him screamed exhaustion.

Eren could understand how stressful it would have been to suddenly have everything beneath one’s feet crumble into nothingness and have to start over from scratch. He wished he could be more help, but they barely knew one other. In fact, they had spoken more words since the fiasco with Kenny started than the first couple months of their marriage.

“Okay… goodnight, Levi.” The only response he got was a grunt. Casting one more glance at the dark-haired man, Eren walked to the bedroom and shut the door behind him. Pulling off his bathrobe, he quickly slipped under the covers.

Shuffling under the sheets, it was strange sleeping in someone else’s bed. When Levi had first described the place as small, Eren had thought he was exaggerating, but it was small. Although they were less luxuriously furnished, most college dorms would be larger than the bedroom which was practically one bed, two small nightstands, a walk-in closet, and a small lamp. One could tell from a glance that size wasn’t everything though. The four poster bed was made out of solid wood with elaborate carvings on both the headboard and base. The sheets were spun out of soft creamy Egyptian cotton. The memory foam mattress was like sleeping in a cloud. And the duvet was definitely stuffed with real down given how warm Eren was. Even then, Eren found it difficult to sleep. Not only was he engulfed in Levi’s scent, but his mind was still struggling to catch up with everything that had conspired.

The whole thing with Levi’s uncle, finding a new job, and moving had come about so quickly, he hadn’t had the opportunity to calm down and think everything through. Although Levi wasn’t the one over the fire, both he and his husband had been scrutinized due to their association with Kenny Ackerman.

When they had first married, he thought they would have spent their time apart and doing their own things, but as more time passed, the amount of time he spent with his husband had also increased. Though he didn’t know many married couples, they didn’t behave like any mated pair Eren knew. Whatever the circumstances were, however, he was glad Levi hadn’t been indicted. He had barely escaped Grisha’s hand and was only beginning to find his wings again that _if_ Levi had been imprisoned, he would have no recourse and end a pawn for his father once more.

Trapped in his thoughts and concerns, Eren wasn’t even aware when he had drifted off into nothingness.

 

Blinking awake, there was a moment of disorientation before Eren finally realized where he was. He was surprised he had slept so well. Of course, the memory foam mattress certainly helped.

All he could remember before waking up was worrying over what would become of him and where his relationship with Levi was heading. The two of them had come out of the legal ordeal relatively unscathed in comparison, but that was only because neither of them had anything to do with Kenny’s machinations.

After finishing his morning ablutions, Eren walked out of the bedroom. Pulling the door open, he stepped out the bedroom, unsure what to say or do. Padding softly, he wasn’t surprised to see a familiar dark head next to the kitchen table.

They were both slated to start their new jobs in a weeks’ time, so it was strange watching Levi sit around idly. He doubted the man was busy with some beach reads though. Eren would eat the clothes on his back if the papers in Levi’s hands weren’t somehow related to business, the markets, or the trial. They had been married for nearly a year and he could only count on one hand the number of times in their limited marriage how often Levi _wasn’t_ working. He had no idea what his husband did in his free time. Was the man a permanent workaholic?

A quiet rumble erupted from his stomach. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was. He was starving. After all the stress and anxiety he had only had a few energy bars for dinner.

Breathing in, Eren braced himself for any possible awkwardness as he walked forward. They had rarely crossed paths in private before the move. There was no helping it when the condo was so limited in space though. “Good morning, Levi.”

There was a grunt of acknowledgement as he walked to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Glancing about the open space, the only consumable item out was a cup of tea – no surprise there – that Levi was drinking. Figuring that he needed to fend for himself, Eren randomly walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled it open.

Opening the next few, he was confused when there were only the bare minimum amount of cutlery and dishes, but no pots and pans.

“Hey Levi?”

“Hmm?”

“Where are the pots and pans?”

“There aren’t any.”

“What? How am I – are we,” Eren hurriedly corrected himself now that he was living with someone, “supposed to make breakfast?” He understood why there was a lack of coffee, but he had at least hoped to make some eggs and toast for breakfast.

“Order something?” There was a careless shrug as Levi returned to his cup of tea. “I don’t eat breakfast.”

“How can you not eat breakfast?!” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop it. Whirling around, Eren gaped in openmouthed surprise at his husband’s admission. Wracking his brain, he tried to think back and remember whether he had ever seen Levi eat breakfast, not that they spent many mornings together, but he had only ever seen Levi drinking tea. Eren had always assumed his husband had already eaten, but it was no wonder Levi was so short… who _didn’t_ eat breakfast?

“I don’t get hungry.” Dark eyes gazed flatly at him. “Now close your mouth, brat, you look like an idiot.”

Hastily recomposing himself, Eren turned around and opened the fridge door hoping to find something to drink at least. He was disappointed when he found nothing except for a bottle of wine. Staring at the open whiteness, Eren was slightly embarrassed as a loud gurgle of hunger rumbled in the silence. Shooting a mutinous glare at the man responsible for his current state of starvation, he closed the fridge door.

Eren was still contemplating what to do when there was a small chink as Levi set down his cup of tea and sighed. “Go and get dressed, brat. We’ll stop somewhere for food and then go get those shitty pots and pans of yours.”

Stunned at what Levi had just said, he stood there a moment longer, wondering it was just an auditory hallucination.

“Oi, Yeager! What are you standing there for? Get your ass moving, brat!”

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Eren quickly walked over to grab his jacket and shoes.


	10. Chapter 10

Browsing the aisles for pots and pans, Eren had been surprised when Levi mentioned he didn’t know _how_ to cook. But the man’s reasoning made sense. If he had grown up the way Levi had, cooking would be the furthest thing on his mind. Nor was there a need to muck about in the kitchens when one had an entire team of staff waiting hands and feet at his every wish.

Instead, Eren had grown up under the love and guidance of his mother who loved cooking. And he had inherited that love from her, often trying to help his mom whenever possible. They had made everything under the sun from cookies to cakes, soups and stews to roasts, and even pizzas and pastas from scratch. Those fun days of helping Carla Yeager would be forever imprinted in his memory. But that had only been possible because he had the time, energy, and someone to teach him. His kitchen adventures had decreased after presenting as an omega – Grisha didn’t cook and generally left money for food on the table – but he had sufficient experience. And the only one with _any_ experience between the two of them.

Glancing at the dark-haired man glaring holes at the kitchenware, Eren wondered if he had died and gone to some alternate dimension. The last hour or two were strange.

If he hadn’t been riding shotgun, Eren would never have believed any of it. Levi didn’t strike him as the type to take time to drive around the city for food or shopping. That was the exact _opposite_ of what Levi was known for. At their old workplace, he would chew someone out for arriving late for a meeting or taking an extra minute during breaks. It was as if aliens had taken over and replaced Levi with an imposter. The man he married would _never_ do it.

But somehow his mate _had_ taken him out for breakfast and then kitchen shopping.

They had gone to some swanky downtown joint Eren would never have taken a second glance at. The absurd level of cleanliness fit Levi’s personality though. Someone could practically see their reflection on the floor. He had ordered a platter of pancakes, eggs, and sausages, which were double the price compared to a local diner, and the alpha had predictably ordered tea. The food was mediocre, but the weirdest part was eating in relative silence while Levi pulled out his tablet and continued reading whatever it was while sipping his tea with a scowl.

It was unfathomable that Levi didn’t even feel the _urge_ to eat breakfast. Eren had skipped breakfast on occasion due to sleeping in or waking up late, but he would definitely feel the effects throughout. The lack of breakfast made him feel like he was a corpse, lacking in energy and unable to focus. Levi certainly did not suffer from the same effects though. Or maybe it was simply due to the man’s nonstop intake of caffeinated black tea.

After they were done, Levi had searched up and driven to the nearest kitchenware store: _Maria’s Kitchenwares_. The store itself didn’t have any self-branded wares, but everything in their inventory was of better quality and at least twenty percent costlier than your average store. Eren didn’t mind; it was nice browsing racks full of professional equipment. The items might cost more, but they would also last longer. His mom had owned a few top-notch pieces and they had been in very good shape when he had last used them in his old home.

Shopping with Levi was certainly… an experience. And that was putting it mildly.

Their foray into the word of culinary supplies began half an hour ago and they hadn’t even crossed off half the items on half of Eren’s list.

“What about this one?” He glanced at the product Levi was pointing it. It was yet another ridiculously overpriced nonstick pan.

“No, not nonstick.” Eren had read enough about coatings to know that avoiding them was better. Too many PFC’s and other harmful chemicals. He wasn’t a chef, but he had enough experience to know that food sticking to the pan was generally a symptom of insufficient oil in the pan or putting something in before the oil was preheated.

“Tch, what’s the difference anyways?” There was a scowl as Levi put the pan back down. That must have been the third pan so far and they had only just began browsing.

“Well…” Eren started. What was the best place to begin? Cooking and the equipment to go with it was complex. Careful consideration needed to be made as to the type of metal, cost, weight, and so on. A fry pan made of copper wasn’t too heavy, would last a long time, was great at conducting heat evenly, but would be super expensive. Conversely, those made of stainless steel or aluminum would lack the same heat conduction copper had, but would come at a fraction of the cost. Brands also mattered in the kitchenware business; there were some that were made to last decades and others that would give out after a few months.

“Never mind, don’t tell me. I don’t care.”

“Okay, _boss._ ” He sighed to himself, ignoring the dirty look Levi shot him.

In many ways, the older man resembled a petulant child who wanted to go home and play. Or in Levi’s case, work. It was clear Levi did not want to or like being here, but had dragged himself along anyways. Seeing the normally competent alpha out of his element was something Eren doubted most had, or would, ever see. Levi’s attitude hadn’t changed much, but his lack of knowledge certainly showed. Such as when Levi questioned the purpose of having both a skillet and fry pan.

It was as if he was shopping with a five-year-old who lacked patience. Levi clearly found the exercise useless, but continued to beleaguer him. There was a café next door he could have slipped into and waited, but Levi hadn’t. It would have made both their lives easier though.

Even a stranger could make out the negative aura around the dark-haired alpha. Not that Levi hadn’t been irritated from the get-go. His attitude made that abundantly clear. Eren could have happily gone by himself. It would have been much simpler and less demanding for the both of them, but the older man didn’t seem to realize that. He wasn’t too familiar with the area, but with GPS navigation, it wouldn’t be difficult to find some place to eat or shop. It wasn’t as if Levi was going to or even _knew_ how to cook.

 _That_ conversation in and of itself had been a little interesting and quite enlightening.

_“Do you know how to cook?” Pausing between bites, Eren opened his mouth. It was difficult trying to act civilized instead of stuffing his face with waffles and bacon right in front of him. Levi might not eat breakfast, but he was absolutely starving after having missed dinner._

_“What is this, a fucking cross examination?”_

_“No, I was just wondering…” he trailed off uncertainly, stabbing the bacon with his fork. Levi was reticent and swore on a good day, and right now he sounded irritated and ready to tear someone’s head off._

_“…No.”_

_“No to what?” He scratched his head confused. He had barely caught the one-word response. “No you don’t want to tell me? No you can’t cook?”_

_Levi leveled a dark look at him as though the answer was obvious._

_“Oh.” Well that certainly explained the lack of kitchenware. At least he got an answer this time._

_Cutting another piece of the perfectly crisp and soft Belgian waffle, he wondered if Levi would be okay with grabbing a waffle iron along the way. Eren didn’t make them often, but waffles were one of his favorite breakfast foods. Then again, he just_ loved _breakfast. It was the only way to go after all…_

Eren wondered whether Levi had even seen the inside of an in-use kitchen or what Levi’s reaction would be if he ever saw one. In light of the man’s obsession with cleanliness, it was unlikely that Levi had ever seen the messes that were possible in the process of cooking. Preparing, cooking, and making food was by no means clean. Soups could spill over, things could burn, one could cut their hand, and raw meats could easily spread bacteria if not dealt with properly. Knowing Levi’s hatred of dirtiness made Eren rather reluctant to try making some of the things he had been craving, such as his mom’s homemade garlic sausage. It would be a safer bet to start small with some easy, classic dishes and expand from there.

He wasn’t even sure which foods Levi ate. They had shared a few meals together, but none of it was home cooking. The food made by the chefs in the mansion ranged from regular fare to extravagant cuisines that Eren had no clue even how to begin creating. And from what he remembered, Levi certainly knew which foods were which, but there was no discernable pattern to which menu items he selected. It was as though he simply rolled a die and picked whatever came face-up.

They strolled for a few more minutes with Eren picking up a fry pan, a few pots, before moving onto the baking equipment and crock pots.

“Seriously? Do you even need all this shit?” Levi grumbled as they turned the aisle where the bakeware began.

“Well…” How was he supposed to answer that? He didn’t technically _need_ everything, but there was so many he wanted to try making. Such as pot roasts, simple grilled salmon, or casseroles. “I guess this would be enough, but I can’t make pizzas and stuff…” Even then, he hadn’t planned on going full out. If he had, he would have checked out the woks and double boilers earlier. Given how antsy Levi was getting, however, those things were better left for another day.

“Why don’t you just buy a fucking pizza?”

“And miss out on all the fun decorating and putting whatever toppings you want on it?” It had been one of Eren’s favorite activities as a child. Decorating pizzas. Pepperoni was his favorite flavor, so whenever he had the chance to decorate the pizza, he purposely put all the pepperoni on one section – his own – and used the other toppings on the other sides. To balance things out, his mom would always move the mushrooms and green peppers around, but it was fun as a child thinking he could get away with slices of pepperoni laden pizza. “You need to stop being so uptight, Levi.”

“You sound just like Captain America and the crazy doctor.”

“Maybe you should try listening to them then?” He hadn’t seen Hange or Erwin much since their first meeting. Hange had tried dropping by their workplace a few times, but they didn’t manage to stay long with how quickly Levi called security to remove them from the premises. It felt like an ongoing comedy show. Everyone, even the security guards, were familiar with Levi’s doctor friend and even made small talk with them.

“Tch, whatever. Just hurry it up.”

 _That’s what I was planning on doing before you decided to interrupt_. Eren rolled his eyes. It was like Levi was making inane conversation simply because he had nothing better to do. “Give me a minute, jeez.”

“Just get what you need and let’s get out.”

“I know, I know.” Picking up a pizza stone, he weighed it, estimating the size and finding it a bit too heavy. Placing it down, Eren grabbed another stone off the shelf. It was a little thinner and had metal handles which would be useful to remove it up from the oven. Satisfied, he placed it into the shopping cart and moved on to the next item on his list.

 

By the time they were at the till and checking out, Levi was noticeably agitated. It didn’t show clearly on the man’s face, but the stiffness in Levi’s shoulders and the anger radiating off him prompted people to give them a wide berth. It was as if Levi had never waited in line. They had only been there for a few minutes.

“Fucking imbeciles… who gives a fuck about five fucking dollars? Buy the damn thing already.” The previous customer had demanded a price check since one of the items wasn’t that expensive online. “We’ve been standing here for seven minutes already.” The alpha muttered under his breath.

“Not everyone has that kind of money, Levi.” He chided, surprised that Levi had counted the number of minutes they had been in line. It could have been a habit from work, where every minute had counted. He wondered if the man knew it down to second or millisecond precision.

“Tch, then they shouldn’t be buying it in the first place.” Resting his arms on the handle of the shopping cart, Eren slowly pushed it forward, unwilling to reply to the man’s comment.

Although there was a grain of truth in the comment, it was sometimes difficult for Eren to see under the fine veneer of sophistication and money Levi was accustomed to. At least the man hadn’t had a conniption over the prices on the shelves and racks. The man _might_ complain about the total bill, but Eren doubted it. Even with several quality items, such as a copper core frying pan, the entire cost of their card was likely less than some of the man’s suits. Though it was unclear how many, or large they would have to be, adjustments would need to be made to their lifestyle going forward.

The trial and everything around it hadn’t made them broke (yet) and it didn’t seem that was likely. Although he wasn’t sure by how much, Eren was aware that his husband’s net worth had drastically fallen in the last couple of days. He still had a healthy lump sum from all the regular deposits made in the early months of their marriage, which had ended since a major stipulation for the entire prenup was that Levi would eventually take over the family business. That was obviously no longer the case and as a result, many, if not all, the clauses in the document had become null and void. At least they could still afford to buy good quality items for the kitchen.

After another two minute – Eren hadn’t counted, but Levi had – they finally reached the counter and began placing items on it.

“Oi, what the fuck is that?”

Following the man’s gaze, Eren shrugged, picking up the roasting pans and loading them on the counter. “Measuring cups and measuring spoons.”

“What the hell is a measuring spoon?” Levi grabbed the stainless steel spoons from the cart and looked at them as though they were some kind of abomination. “And why do you need so fucking many? Can’t you just use a normal spoon?”

“Well, the size of a normal spoon differs depending on the spoon. And the difference in a teaspoon and a tablespoon can make all the difference.” Eren grimaced at the memory of accidentally pouring a tablespoon, instead of a teaspoon, of salt when attempting to make cookies as a child. They had looked perfectly edible, but were horrendously salty and unappetizing.

“Tch, who named these things? Tablespoon. Teaspoon. No one is fucking eating a table with the spoon.”

Just because it had the word ‘table’ in its name didn’t mean that one was supposed to eat the damn thing. The idea was completely insane. Levi could just be ranting, but that was the dumbest comment yet. If only he had recorded the conversation. Eren wanted to talk back at the snarky man, but held his tongue as the cashier began ringing them up.

“Hi, welcome to _Maria’s Kitchenwares_.” Her smile faltered for a moment as her eyes met Levi’s, before turning back to and addressing Eren. “I’m sorry about the wait. I hope you found your experience pleasant?”

Smiling at the cashier, Eren nodded, turning a blind eye to the ticking time bomb at his side.

 

Humming, as he minced up the garlic, Eren wondered whether he should make a classic marinara or something a little richer. His mom had always made pasta sauce from scratch and added tons of vegetables to combat his picky eating habits.

Their entire adventure had taken the entire morning. By the time they had returned it was almost noon. After bringing everything in – there had been quite a few bags – Levi had sequestered himself in his office, giving Eren free reign of the kitchen.

Grocery shopping had been blessedly calmer in comparison to breakfast or looking at kitchenwares. The alpha had received a call from Kenny’s lawyers and made himself scarce. Without a grouchy kid to look after, grocery shopping had proceeded much faster and smoother than looking for kitchen supplies. He was in an out in less than an hour.

The furrows on Levi’s face had only increased after the phone call. Whatever had been said had been bad news. Or at least pissed the man off. Eren was glad he had only talked to the lawyers in passing. Many of the questions they asked or things they insinuated were a little difficult for him to swallow. They seemed too familiar with backroom deals and slipping bad people out of bad situations.

But despite his piss-poor attitude and less-than-helpful commentary, Levi _had_ taken him to breakfast and shopping. Both gestures were unnecessary, but Eren was thankful for it. Besides, they were rooming together now. Whether they got along was still up in the air, but the sooner they came to grasp each other’s habits the better.

Staring at the fridge for a moment longer, Eren decided to go for the simpler marinara sauce. He had offered to cook lunch for the two of them, hoping it would serve as an olive branch. It was difficult knowing how much to make or how hungry Levi was, but the man _had_ to be feeling _something_ after half a day without food. It was possible the alpha had grabbed something while on the phone, and if that were the case, he could simply store and have the leftovers tomorrow.

Sticking his hand in the bag of yellow onions, he pulled out a small one. He was about to cut off the top when a familiar low voice interrupted him. “What the fuck is that, Yeager?”

“This?” Eren held up the onion. “It’s an onion. I was going to dice it and put it in the pasta sauce.”

“Toss it. It’s filthy.”

“What?” He gaped at the ridiculous demand. Onions might not be as essential in a marinara, but they were used in many dishes. And the one he was holding was perfectly fine. “It’s not like I’m cooking the skin.”

“There’s fucking dirt on it.”

“Levi,” he sighed, putting the knife and onion down. Wiping his hands, he turned and faced his irate husband. Eren wanted to scream and rant, but that would be counterproductive. There was enough testosterone in the room. “Just let me do my thing. You said it yourself – you’ve never cooked before – so how are you to judge what is and what isn’t a good onion?”

“Tch, I’m not eating that shit then.” Levi crossed his arms, glaring skeptically at the culprit.

“Then don’t eat. I’m putting it in whether you like it or not.” The intensity of those eyes burned a hole in his back as Eren turned around to cut the top off the onion. After peeling off the next layer, he held it up for the alpha to inspect. “See? No dirt.”

“Doesn’t mean it wasn’t there.” Levi muttered under his breath.

“What were you expecting? They were grown _in the dirt_. So are carrots, potatoes, and celery. You don’t seem to have a problem with any of those either.”

“Tch, that’s disgusting.”

Ignoring the comment, Eren began the painstaking process of dicing it. Slicing it in half he laid one half on the chopping board and began cutting at a ninety-degree angle, making sure to avoid cutting through the roots and base. His eyes began to tear up slightly when he began the final step of cutting perpendicular to the first set of cuttings he did. Sniffling, he wiped off the tears leaking out with his forearm.

“Everything okay, Yeager?”

“Yes, it’s just the onion.” He sniffled again, adjusting the angle of his knife. As good as onions tasted, they were a pain to prepare.

“You sure?”

“Yes. Stop bothering me.”

Starting on the second half, it was almost impossible to see with tears in his eyes. The sharp odor completely surrounded him.

“Fuck!” Eren yelled, feeling the knife catch on his nail.

“What happened?”

“Nothing. Almost cut myself.” He had just barely managed to avoid injury. Wiping his eyes clean, he looked over his nail. There was a slight concavity in on the smooth surface, but thankfully the blade hadn’t cut through. Any closer and it would have bled.

“Give the knife over.” Levi barked, hand outstretched right next to him.

“But you’ve never cooked before.” He looked skeptically at his husband. Levi was good at many things, but cooking…? “Do you even know how to use a knife?”

“You can barely see, Yeager. And I’d rather not have bits and pieces of you floating in the sauce.” Eren grimaced at the gruesome image. Levi, given his lack of experience, was more likely the one to cut his finger off. “Give me the knife.” The question about Levi’s skills went unanswered.

“Fine, _boss_.” Eren handed the blade over and untied the apron, passing it to Levi as well. Fighting would be useless in this situation; it was better Levi to learn from experiencing it for himself. “Let’s see you try not to cry.” He muttered under his breath. “Control freak.”

Levi scowled as he put on the apron, before rolling up his sleeves and washing his hands. The alpha wearing an apron made a hilarious sight. Eren was tempted to run back and grab his phone to take a photo for posterity. The contrast of formal attire paired with slippers and an apron was something he would _never_ have imagined Levi wearing.

Keeping a watchful eye on his husband, Eren washed his hands. He could make out the dull thunk of the first few slices. Levi’s cuts nowhere as quick as his – not that he had been particularly fast – and the pieces were much more ragged and uneven than his were. They were decent for a first try though.

A few more seconds later, as Eren had predicted, the scent of the onions hit. “What the fuck is that nasty smell?” Levi sniffled.

“It’s the onions, Levi.”

“Fucking hell.” The man scrunched up his nose again, holding his knife high and glaring the foul object.

“I told you it wasn’t that easy. You can’t just take a knife and magically learn how to cook.” Eren sighed at his husband’s dramatic display. “Here, pass it over. I’ll finish cutting it.”

“Fine.” There was an angry huff as Levi handed him back the knife and apron. “Fucking onions… It’ll take forever to wash out the smell.”

“Just go take a shower or something. I’ll call you when lunch is ready.”

A monosyllabic grunt was the only reply he got as Levi stormed off, still muttering angrily about onions. Shaking his head at Levi’s childish antics, Eren washed his hands and resumed dicing the bulbous vegetable.

When he was finally finished cooking lunch an hour later, the pungent odor had transformed into something heavenly. There were no more mishaps after the incident with the onion and everything had come together perfectly. The sauce tasted almost as good as it smelled – he hadn’t had time to roast the garlic – but the garlicky and onion overtones were spot-on with the herbed tomato base.

If Levi was going to boycott the marinara sauce due to some dirt on the onion’s outer skin, it was his loss. Levi hadn’t returned after his foray with the onion and Eren hadn’t sought him out again. Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

Draining the pasta, Eren walked over Levi’s office, and knocked on the door. “Lunch is ready. Are you coming?”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last real mention of Kenny's situation; it's not a major event in the story, it's just THE incident that set the stone rolling.
> 
> P.S. there are actually 3 types of spatula: rubber for scraping bowls, metal for leveling ingredients, and the normal one for flipping things.
> 
> * * *

Blinking the remnants of his untimely nap away, Levi woke up to the glaring LCD computer screen with the headline “FORMER ACKERMAN CEO AND PRESIDENT SETENCED UP TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON.” Shit had finally hit the fan the day before yesterday. Kenny had found guilty and sentenced to twenty to twenty-five years in a minimum security prison, with a chance of parole after fifteen years. There was also a hefty penalty thrown on top, but no one seemed to care much. His uncle had become the poster child of a corrupt billionaire with ties to drug money, insider trading, and corporate fraud. The media was going crazy and spinning the story beyond normal proportions, shining a spotlight on the downfall of one of the largest megalomaniacs.

Some rumor mongers continued to spew rampant lies about Levi’s own reputation, but the police had openly dismissed any charges against him. Thank fuck. His new job was beginning the next day and the last thing he wanted was dealing with people who didn’t trust his judgment and second-guessed him at every turn. It was going to be difficult enough meeting with former partners and clients at his new job. He didn’t need some retarded shithead making it worse.

Kenny’s imprisonment had quickly become old news though. It had made the front page for a day before getting quashed by the inauguration of the new President. In a week or so no one would remember or care who Kenny Ackerman was and Levi was thankful for that. Anonymity had been scarce during the heydays of the trial.

As the man’s next-of-kin there were a few more things he had to sign and sort out, but having his uncle behind bars gave him a twisted sense of relief. There was no lost love between them. The man would pass the sixty mark later this year and Levi doubted his uncle would survive prison. Kenny would be an old man with anger issues and hypertension by then. Whatever happened to the man was beyond his control.

Rubbing his eyes, Levi closed the browser window and got up. Walking to the door, he debated whether to grab tea and return to his desk, or to change clothes and head to the second floor to work out in the gym. The former won out.

A faint humming caught his attention as he headed for the kitchen. Silently making his way to his new destination Levi was surprised to find Eren sashaying in the kitchen, singing, as he went to the cupboard to grab something.

Leaning against the entranceway to the kitchen, Levi stood back to watch the younger man toss sprinkle some herb or spice into bubbling pot. The omega grabbed a wooden spoon, stirring the contents, before scooping some into a bowl and testing the flavor. Eren made a small sound of appreciation as he did, returning to search through the cupboard and pull out another glass jar which he sprinkled inside.

There was something naturally eye-catching in the way those hips swayed to the simple melody, freely and unconstrained. Even Eren’s excitement the first time he had made something for dinner paled in comparison to how entranced Eren was in the process. Watching him move now, it was clear that Eren had had his guard up all the other times. Levi was aware of the brat’s cooking hobby – admittedly, Eren’s cooking skills had pleasantly surprised him the first time – but he was unused to seeing his husband so free-spirited, flitting around the kitchen like a sprite.

Levi was used to a tenacious, stubborn brat that pretended to quiet. Eren had questioned him on occasion, but as a whole, the younger male was cautious, reticent, and kept to himself. But that meekness didn’t fool Levi. There was a fire burning behind those eyes, and more than once lately, he was curious and wondered what it would be like to be burned by that flame.

“What are you making?”

“Wh-wha- Levi?!” The brat jumped in surprise. Green eyes darted towards the microwave clock. “I didn’t know we were eating now. It won’t be ready until another hour.”

“Calm your shit down, Yeager.” He scowled at the loud yell. At work, he didn’t mind when people gave him a wide berth, but living with someone who was scared of him was tiresome. The mansion staff had always tried to assume what he thought and felt, squirreling around him. He might not like dealing with idiots, but it was a greater pain in the ass when none of them dared to look him in the eye and were constantly on edge around him. “I’m just here to get some tea.”

“Oh, okay.” Eren moved to the right to allow him access to the cupboard and kettle.

“Tch, it’s not like I’m going to eat you or anything.” Not that he wouldn’t mind biting into that supple tanned flesh and claiming his mate again. It was a tempting idea. Now that it was just Eren and him… Levi hastily killed the thought before it began.

Just because he hadn’t made any moves on the brat didn’t mean he didn’t have a functioning sex drive. Satisfying his libido simply had never been at the top of his list of priorities. It hadn’t been for a long time. Before the indictment, running the company and work came first. Now, his time was preparing for his new position and cleaning up Kenny’s mess. Plus, Levi wasn’t so uncouth or stoop so low as to coerce or demand sex from his younger mate who was still wary of him.

Distracting himself from thinking too deeply about more primal matters, he returned to his original question. “So, let me ask again.  What are you making?” Levi inquired. Whatever it was smelled pretty damn good. From his vantage point, he could only make out chunks of brown and red though.

“It’s a German beef goulash my mom used to make.” Eren’s nervous energy seemed to be vanish with the wistful reply. It wasn’t the first time Levi had noticed how much more subdued the omega became at the mention of his mother. “This was one of my favorite foods. Mom would always make when it was cold outside.”

“Were the two of you close?” What little Levi knew of the late Carla Yeager was from the few tidbits Eren and Grisha had mentioned in passing. The detailed investigation conducted prior to his engagement with the omega contained facts and revealed nothing about her nature.

“Huh? You mean mom and me?” Levi grunted affirmative in response. “Yes. She was the best mom anyone could wish for. She loved to garden and cook and I would always hang around and try and help her. Don’t think I was too successful, but she didn’t mind.” Eren laughed at himself. It was bright, bubbly melody of unadulterated joy. “After school I would always come home to these amazing freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies. Of course, she’d be there and tell me to wash my hands and prevent me from eating the entire plate.” Levi’s mind’s eye was immediately occupied by the image of Eren as a child with bright shining eyes rushing back home with a wide grin ready to devour cookies only to be stopped by his mom. “What about you? What was your mom like?”

“Don’t remember much.” Levi scrounged his memory for something, _anything_ positive about Kuchel Ackerman. He didn’t recall much about her, period. He had been very young when she died and his circumstances had sucked back then. Being forced to wait in the streets while her ‘clients’ were finished had been a commonplace occurrence back then. She tried her best and he hadn’t known much else than the life they had. Just as he was about to give up, amazingly, a simple tune came to mind. “She used to hum this melody when I was younger.”

“Really? What is it?” Judging from the way Eren responded, the brunet’s interest had been perked by the possibility of listening to something from his early years.

“Don’t remember.”

“Will you be able to recognize it if I found it?”

“Who knows.” Levi shrugged nonchalantly. He could probably hum a little of it, but was reluctant to share. The brat seemed a touch _too_ curious about the melody. Eager to shift focus away from him, he kicked the ball back into Eren’s court. “You have your mom’s eyes.”

“A lot of people tell me that. But thanks.”

Taking the time to look closer at Eren’s eyes, Levi noticed they weren’t just green, but _green._ Depending on the omega’s mood and the lighting, it could take on the fiery brilliance of an emerald or the earthy hues of the forest. Sometimes it wasn’t just green either, once in a while they almost seemed blue-green and at other times, flecked with slivers of gold. Whoever coined the phrase that eyes were the windows into one’s soul was absolutely correct when it came to Eren. Levi had the distinct feeling that someone could stare into Eren’s eyes and always see something new. It was like drowning in an ocean and never reaching the end.

“What did your mom look like?”

“Black hair, dark eyes.” How else was he supposed to describe her? He could barely remember what she looked like. Kenny had a few photos from her younger days, but they never talked about his mom much. “You might have seen a picture of her around the mansion.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Mikasa showed me some of the family albums before.”

“Huh.” It was difficult imagining his cousin socializing. But they had never spent much time together. Levi hadn’t even known they had a family album. None of them were huge on family events.

“How that I think of it…” Eren leveled a pensive gaze at him. “I can’t remember clearly, but your hair and eyes are the same color as hers. Is that like some family thing? Almost all the photos Mikasa showed me had people with dark hair and eyes?”

“Who knows.” But at Eren’s mention of his mother’s image, Kuchel had had most of the classical Ackerman features – jet black hair, dark eyes, pale skin, and narrow lips – sans the resting bitch face.

The conversation stalled when he didn’t say anything more. The ensuing awkward silence was punctuated by the slow simmer of the pot on the stove. Levi had never been great at conversation – pointless fraternizing had been something Kenny abhorred – and Eren seemed to have retreated into his shell, eyes darting restlessly.

_Ding dong._

Levi was grateful that the doorbell had interrupted before the silence had become too unbearable. The identity of the bell ringer was a different issue altogether.

Frowning, Levi glanced in the direction of the front door and then Eren. “Expecting anyone?”

“Nope. You?”

“No.” Levi could hazard a guess at their unexpected guest. It probably either Hange or Erwin, though the latter tended to call and confirm before coming. They were the only ones who knew this address after all. Padding to down the hall, he collected himself, preparing for the quack doctor.

Opening the door, he had not expected to see his cousin. He had almost forgotten that he had given her the address and means to reach him in case there was leftover paperwork. “Mikasa?”

“Levi.” She nodded curtly.

“What are you doing here?” He gestured and let her in before his neighbors could see what was happening.

The two of them had never been close. To survive living with, or rather _under_ , Kenny necessitated a person being constantly on the lookout for their own wellbeing. The tenet was true for both him and Mikasa. There had never been time to be friendly. It hadn’t happened frequently due to their uncle’s misogynistic and racist attitudes, but he had even on occasion pitted them against each other. They acknowledged one another as survivors of Kenny’s tyranny, but that acceptance had never translated into anything more.

“Paperwork for Kenny’s trial.”

“There’s more?”

“Yes, they came in the mail.”

“Fuck.” Levi groaned. He just wanted the shit to be over with and close that particular chapter of his life. His cousin could have just mailed or emailed him, but if she had come in person, that must have meant it was more than just dotting a few i’s and crossing a few t’s. “Come in. Shoes off.” He nodded as she was about to take a step without removing her footwear.

“Still as much of a clean freak as ever, I see.”

Ignoring the comment, he trudged back into the kitchen. The small distraction with Eren had cost him the time to make tea and he was going to need it to face the legalese Mikasa had brought.

“I never knew you knew how to cook, cousin.”

“I don’t. Eren does.”

At the mention of his name, the brunet popped out around the corner “Mikasa!” Eren hastily rubbed his hands on the apron before moving in for a hug. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

Levi walked into the kitchen where the water had cooled slightly. Waiting for the water to reboil, he removed a bag from his tea collection, listening in to the conversation.

“I’m just here to see Levi. Legal stuff. How have you been?”

“Believe it or not, in spite of everything that’s going on, I’m actually surviving.” A muscle in Levi’s brow twitched at the small chuckle Eren made. He was unaware that the two had even gotten so close. The omega had never come close to hugging him – not that he enjoyed being hugged – and his cousin didn’t come across as the most affable individual either. Levi had known them both longer than Eren and Mikasa had known each other and yet they were closer than he had ever been with either of them. “I can only imagine what you’re going through.”

“At least the trial is over. That was the worst part.”

“Definitely. I can’t imagine what you went through.” Eren caught sight of him as he walked out of the kitchen with his tea in hand. “Anyways, I won’t keep you any longer.”

“Okay.”

“If you’re still around when it’s ready, maybe you could stay over? Levi and I are having goulash. It’s a family recipe.” Eren looked to him for affirmation. Normally Levi would have said no, but the offer was already out and there was no telling how long Mikasa would need to stay.

Taking the cue from Eren, he cleared his throat, intervening before even more time was wasted. “Let’s go to my office and talk.” The earlier they got to work on the shit, the faster it could be moved off the table.

Mikasa didn’t openly acknowledge his comment, but she inclined her head in his direction. “Thank you for the offer. I’d love to stay, but I already made plans for dinner. I’m just here to meet with Levi.”

“Okay, maybe next time then!”

“Sure.” Tapping his foot impatiently as Eren finally disappeared back into the kitchen, Mikasa turned and gestured for him to lead the way. They were safely out of earshot when she opened her mouth again. “Never knew you were so domesticated, Levi.”

“Tch, nothing’s different. Eren’s just making dinner.”

“Really? But eating together? Kenny would have a heart attack if he knew what you’re doing.”

“Whatever.” It was the bastard’s fault that his life was in a state of disarray. It would spare them a lot of trouble if Kenny did collapse of a heart attack. The lawyers had contacted him to discuss the possibility of repealing the verdict, but he had shot them down. Everyone knew no sane judge or jury would let the man walk.

However, as much as Levi wanted to dismiss Mikasa’s other claim of being domesticated, he understood where she was coming from.

It had been barely four days since Eren moved in, and they had already fallen into what Kenny would have dubbed a ‘pathetically domestic’ routine. As long as Eren cleaned up after himself and there weren’t any bugs or critters around, he was more than welcome to use the kitchen. And Eren had certainly gone all out, cooking dinner all three nights. Levi had joined him out of convenience; he didn’t have to think about food or order in. Plus, according to Eren it saved money and was easier to prepare meals for two people. It was a win-win situation. The only thing that had taken a little getting used to were the strained attempts at conversation, mainly relating to work and the trial. Having non-work meals with someone was something Levi wasn’t used to. And he certainly wasn’t the most social person either. Despite how awkward dinner was, though, eating a home cooked meal with Eren was the most domestic activity than Levi had engaged in.

“So, what did you need to talk to me about again?”

 

Shutting the door behind his cousin forty odd minutes later, Levi headed back to the kitchen. That should have been the last of the infernal paperwork.

“Oi, how long till dinner is ready?” Normally he wouldn’t bother asking, but if there was the time, he really wanted to go and stretch his legs on the treadmills. All that sitting and reading wasn’t good for him.

“I was just about to call you actually. It’s ready. I just need to grab the bread out of the oven and serve the stew.” Guess there was no time to work out. Eren glanced from him back to the stove. “Sorry to ask, but since you’re already here, mind giving me a hand?”

“Fine.” As long it wasn’t cutting more shitty onions. Those things were fucking foul. It was a wonder how anyone could stomach it.

“Great. Here are the oven mitts.” Levi was taken aback at the neon green oven mitts. He hadn’t noticed the brat picking them up at the store. Taking them from the omega begrudgingly, he rolled his sleeves up and stuck his hands in the lime-colored abominations. They were fucking huge on his hands and covered half his forearm.

“Now what?”

“Mind grabbing the bread? I toasted some in the oven. I’m going to grab the bowls.”

Pulling the oven open, a cloud of heat exploded in his face. Fanning the heat away from his face, he reached in and pulled the tray out. Levi was glad he didn’t have to do this on a daily basis. The heat was nearly overwhelming. Pivoting with the tray in hand, he was about to place it on the counter when Eren yelled out. “Levi! What are you doing?!”

“What?” Levi paused mid-movement, scowling at the untimely interruption.

“You’re going to damage the counters if you do that.” The brat pulled out some wooden thing that looked like a giant coaster. “Here, put them on the trivets here.”

 _Trivets, really?_ Who the fuck came up with the name for kitchen equipment? Many of the ones Eren had mentioned to him were absurd. Trivets. Tablespoon. And why the fuck were there two different things, both of which were called spatulas? None of it made any sense to him.

After placing them on the wooden thingy, Levi shut the oven and turned back to Eren. “Anything else?”

“Why don’t you spoon the goulash? I’ll get the table set up.”

Picking up the ladle, he stirred the reddish-brown stew. Levi’s mouth watered at the scent. It smelled even better than the pasta sauce Eren made the first day. Heaping a generous serving in each bowl, he picked them up and walked them over to the dining table. Eren followed behind, bringing the garlic bread with him.

“Dig in, I guess.”

Eren didn’t need to tell him twice.

Waiting for the younger male to begin, Levi dipped his spoon in the thick stew. His taste buds were immediately flooded with the hearty flavor of peppery beef and tomato. It made, as Eren had mentioned earlier, the perfect meal for a cold winter day.

Chewing thoughtfully, it was difficult for Levi to wrap his mind around the fact that he had only been living with Eren and yet eating dinner with the omega had already become so normal. It was _weird_. He had only ever eaten meals at the desk or over work meetings.

“So… how do you like it?” Green eyes watched him expectantly.

“Not bad.”

“Okay. I was worried I put too much black pepper.”

Taking another bite, he examined the flavors closer. It _was_ a bit on the peppery side, but the harsh bite was a nice touch for the cool weather. “It’s fine the way it is.”

“I’m glad.”

On second thought, it would be perfect with a fuller red wine. And he needed the alcohol after the bullshit. Standing up, Levi walked to the wine fridge and pulled out a bottle of 2013 French Syrah. “Want some?” He held the bottle up so Eren could see it.

“Sure.”

Pulling the cupboard open, Levi scowled when the wine glasses weren’t where he had originally stored them. Eren must have moved them during the kitchen overhaul. Although he had told Eren to adjust things as he saw fit, it was a little disconcerting. “Where are the glasses?”

“Oh, sorry. I moved them so they’re to the right of the stove.” There was a clink of silverware being put down. “Want me to show you where?”

“No.” Pulling open the aforementioned door open, Levi found the crystal goblets and pulled two out.

It was like the rest of the condo. Slowly but surely, there were signs of Eren invading a space that was once his. As a whole, everything was the same, but items were in different locations and there were small changes creeping in. Tiny things such as the extra toothbrush in the bathroom or the grocery notepad on the fridge.

And of course, Eren’s scent was everywhere. The only exception was his office, but the honeyed cinnamon scent had gradually begun to permeate there too. It had never been a problem at work, but being in such an enclosed space must have been why it had spread so quickly. Levi had never been so attuned to anyone else’s scent before. On a typical day, he didn’t even bother with his sense of smell. But detecting and being consciously aware of his mate’s scent was becoming a regular thing. It was the first thing he noticed when waking up and the last thing he remembered when falling asleep.

Having his notion of ‘normal’ radically perturbed was unsettling. In some respects, Eren almost expected to wake up and find that it was all a dream. His mind told him to kick out the omega out and claim the space for himself again, but it wasn’t like he had even used it that much to begin with. Plus, he was the one who had invited Eren.

Yet his instincts rebelled against rationality. It had absolutely no problem with the omega. His inner animal welcomed it, clamoring for more.

Shoving the conflicting thoughts aside, he walked back with the glasses and corkscrew. Popping the cork open, Levi poured a generous glass for them both.

“Thanks.” Eren’s fingers brushed against his briefly shooting a jolt up his arm. Physical contact between them was scarce and wholly different from that with anyone else. Levi would have recoiled had it been anyone else, but instead, his heart quickened ever so slightly.

Grunting, Levi grabbed his glass and sat back down. The alcohol would undoubtedly assist in dealing with all those unnecessary thoughts. After taking a sip – the wine was a little on the sweet side for him, but as predicted, the earthy tannic flavor complemented the food perfectly – he resumed eating.

“So umm… is everything finally sorted out?”

“Everything what? Be more specific.”

“Oh, sorry. I meant everything with your uncle. Have you and Mikasa worked things out?”

“More or less.” Levi really didn’t want to think about the legal pain in the ass. Technically, he wasn’t responsible for what happened to Kenny’s assets, but because of the way his uncle had operated, there were millions which needed to be dealt with. Due to the guilty verdict, Kenny was now considered a criminal and no longer eligible for certain accounts. As a result, it had fallen to him and Mikasa to figure where to move and what to do with it. Thankfully they had been preemptively working to sort these matters out while the trial was still ongoing.

Eren fell silent once more when he didn’t expand upon his answer. But it gave him the perfect segue to ask something that had been bugging him for an hour now. “When did you guys get so close?” When they had embraced, Levi had been overtaken by an incessant itching to pull Eren away from her and kick his cousin out.

“Me and Mikasa?  I’m not sure. It just kind of happened?” The omega sounded as if his relationship with Levi’s cousin was a typical happenstance.

“Huh.”

“You don’t mind if I invited her for dinner, would you? You’re invited of course.” The question made Levi pause. His gut told him to say no and refuse his cousin entry, but he pushed the overreaction immediately. It wasn’t his business who Eren befriended or not.

“Levi?” The omega looked up at him when he didn’t answer. “If you don’t want her to come, I won’t.”

If they were some random stranger, Levi would have refused, but Mikasa was his cousin. And the first person outside of his former team that he had seen Eren grow close to. He could at least trust her not to fuck the condo up. “Do whatever you want. Just make sure you clean up after yourself.” 

“Okay.” There was a contemplative hum as the omega took a sip of his wine. “What wine is this?”

“2013 Syrah.” Levi pushed the bottle towards Eren. “Here.”

Eren picked it up and looked more closely at the label. He had been mildly surprised when the younger man was able to talk about wine with him for the first time, but Levi supposed it was only normal for anyone expected to attend social events. Grisha had hired someone to instruct Eren the same way Kenny had for him. Those lessons were one of the only things he enjoyed under his uncle’s tutelage. “Hm, I can see why you picked it. It pairs well with the goulash, but is a little acidic and dry for my tastes.”

From the corner of his eyes, Levi watched closely as Eren took another sip. Had he not been watching, he would have missed the small moue of distaste that flashed over the omega’s face.

“Should I open something else up?” he offered. He had amassed a small collection over the years and one or two bottles wouldn’t even come close to making a dent.

“No, it’s okay.”

Arching a skeptical brow at his mate, he shrugged mentally and continued his meal. Wines were meant to be drank and enjoyed. It was a waste if the drinker was forcing themselves, as Eren seemed to be doing. Particularly varietals such as Syrahs which were full-bodied, and high in acidity, dryness, and tannins. This bottle was no exception. It wasn’t bad and as Eren agreed, complemented the food well, but personally, Levi preferred something smoother.

But Eren had made his choice; it wasn’t Levi’s place to push him into changing his mind.


	12. Chapter 12

Eren was minding his own business and eating breakfast when a loud _thump_ echoed from the bathroom. Normally he would have ignored it, but the sound was much too loud to have been made by a bottle falling down. Putting his fork down, he rushed over to the bathroom door and knocked.

“Levi?” Eren called out. When there was no response, he began to get worried. “Hey, Levi? Are you okay?” Once again, there was no response. He could still hear the water running, but that was the only sign his husband had been in the bathroom. “Levi, I’m coming in if you’re not going to say anything!”

Timidly, Eren turned the handle, surprised and vastly relieved to find the door was unlocked. Then again, they were both males, so it wasn’t like there was anything to see. A blast of warm steam assaulted him as he opened the door. Waving it away, he immediately rushed over to the tub, horrified to find his husband, still dressed, and slumped against the side of the tub.

“Levi! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just tripped a little.” Levi waved him away weakly, but the gesture didn’t deter Eren.

“Here, let me help you up.”

“Tch.”

Dismissing the sound, Eren grasped the uncooperative male’s arm, planning to help him up. The moment he wrapped his hand around Levi’s forearm, he was shocked at how warm it felt. The hot steam in the room was one thing, but there was an unhealthy pallor to Levi’s complexion. The normally hale alpha seemed to lack the strength to lift himself up. Raising his hand, Eren quickly compared how warm Levi’s forehead was compared to his. Eren knew he had a higher than average body temperature, but Levi seemed even hotter than him at the moment.

“No you’re not, you’re burning up!”

“Let go of me, brat.” Levi growled at him, struggling weakly, but Eren refused to give into the ridiculous demand. As much as he found the older man an unreasonable jerk, he wasn’t so heartless as to leave a sick person alone. He could be extremely stubborn when he wanted to.

“No, you’re sick and you need rest.” Turning off the water, he pulled his mate up.

“Stand still for a sec.” Grabbing a towel, he quickly dried Levi as best as possible. He had to stifle a small bout of laughter from seeing his husband looking like a bedraggled rat with wrinkled clothing and messy hair. Tucking his arm under Levi’s shoulder once more, Eren began the arduous journey outside of the bathroom.

There was a small huff of discord, but Eren managed to walk the two of them into the hallway. Who knew a five-foot three-inch alpha could weigh so much? Levi didn’t eat breakfast and barely ate anything the rest of the day, and _still_ the alpha weighed more than Eren was.

Suffering a moment of brief indecision as they stumbled awkwardly down the hardwood floor, he eventually decided to bring Levi to his bedroom – well, at least he considered it his room given how Levi only went in to grab his clothes. It would be easier for Levi to rest on a bed than the sofa. What surprised Eren, though, was that his normally churlish husband hadn’t pulled away yet. Normally, Levi would have withdrawn from any form of assistance or bodily contact. Levi must have been much weaker than he let on, since he didn’t put up any fight as they neared the bed.

“Here,” Eren pulled down the corner of the blanket and guided Levi to sit on it. Inwardly debating whether to help his feverishly ill husband undress, he tugged the towel from around Levi’s shoulders. Eren knew very well how much Levi hated anything unclean and his clothes were soaked. No matter what, the clothes that Levi were wearing would be wrinkled and covered in sweat by the end of it. “Umm… do you want me to help you undress?”

“Tch, I’m not _that_ sick, brat.” A hint of the healthy, normal Levi came back as pale fingers came up to undo the buttons on his shirt. Even while sick there was something graceful and beautiful as Levi’s digits fiddled with the buttons.

Discreetly turning his head to allow Levi some privacy, he allowed himself to watch from the corner of his eye in case there was anything going on. Throughout the few months of their marriage, Eren had seen and come to realize that Levi was much stronger than he seemed, but he had never truly seen his mate’s body before. There was a frustrated click of the tongue and Eren turned back to see what was wrong.

Instead, what Eren got was a full view of his mate’s naked and ripped body that had been previously hidden under all those clothes. He didn’t even need to ask Levi to flex to see those chiseled abs or the corded muscles on the alpha’s arms. Even more shocking were the few faint scars – one along the right rib and another near the stomach. But Levi _had_ mentioned living on the streets before being picked up by his uncle. Eren was just a little shocked that he hadn’t noticed them when they had mated. But then again, there had been other things occupying his mind that night.

The motion of Levi tugging at his pants undoing his buckle grabbed his attention. Unable to help it, Eren’s eyes roamed further, eyes widening as he followed the dark hair trailing down to the bulge under Levi’s briefs. There was another frustrated grunt as Levi tried to pull off his pants.

“Do you need help with your pants?” Eren offered.

“What are you looking at, perverted brat?” The sound of Levi’s voice, gravelly and sick, made him roll his eyes. It was such a characteristic statement that Eren almost wanted to click his own tongue, but the haggard, feverish pall on Levi’s face was more concerning.

“Nothing, just making sure you haven’t accidentally killed yourself.” Pushing the alpha back, Levi resisted for a brief minute, but the older male finally gave in and allowed Eren to help him tug off his pants. The damp fabric resisted for a moment and Eren couldn’t help but notice how muscled Levi’s thighs were. Collecting the wet clothes, he grabbed one of his own shirts and tossed it at Levi. “Put this on.”

“Whose shirt is this?” There was a scowl as Levi stared at the large black shirt. Levi cautiously brought it up to his nose and took a sniff.

“Mine. I don’t know where you keep your PJs, so just use this for now.” Cutting in before Levi could protest again, Eren pulled the drawers open. “It’s clean and here’s a pair of underwear for you to change into.” He tossed a pair of the man’s boxers at him. “Wait here, I’m going to get the thermometer and some medicine.”

“Wait.” The alpha’s gravelly, scratchy voice called out.

“Levi?” Eren turned back towards the source of the sound.

“It’s a Wednesday. We’re late. Get me a cup of tea and new clothes, Yeager.” Eren was flummoxed to see Levi throw off the blankets and attempt to stand back up. Even a stranger could easily see how sick he was. The intimidating mask Levi wore was gone. Instead, all Eren saw was a worn thirty-something male, suffering from insomnia and the flu.

“Levi! You need to rest.” Hurriedly walking back to the bed, Eren pushed his husband back down. “The sooner you recover the sooner you can get back to the office.” Levi’s drive to work was commendable, if not a little overboard. “I’ll call in and tell them you’re sick. I’m sure they’ll be able to manage for a day or two.”

He could see Levi mull over the decision in his mind. Holding his breath, there was a small mutter before the dark-haired man slid back under the covers. “…tch, fine.”

“Good.” Sighing, Eren pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed Erwin Smith. It took a moment before the call connected. “Mr. Smith? This is Eren Yeager. I’m calling about my husband, Levi Ackerman… He’s sick and won’t be able to come in to work today… No… If at all possible, yes… Yes… Thank you, sir.”

Putting down the phone, he found himself the target of Levi’s mutinous glare. Eren would have found Levi’s antics amusing if his husband weren’t so sick. “See? Everything’s under control. Now I’m going to grab a thermometer and medicine. Wait here.” Eren commanded in his strictest tone, quickly making his way to the bathroom to find the first aid kit.

By the time he returned, Levi was safely tucked under the blankets wearing his shirt and breathing shallowly. Eren thought his husband was asleep, but when he neared, those tired lids fluttered open. Placing the things on the nightstand, he sat on the edge of the bed, placing an arm under Levi’s back and urged the man up. “Here, I need you to put this under your arm.”

Eren wasn’t used to caring for sick people, but he knew quite a bit of being cared _for_. As a child, he had constantly gotten into small fights with the neighborhood bullies, often returning home with minor cuts and scrapes. And then there was the annual flu which he seemed to catch like clockwork when he was younger. Lots of fluid and rest was what his mom always told him.

A couple of beeps later, he pulled the thermometer back. One hundred and two. It wasn’t as bad as some of the ones he had had in childhood, but high enough. Reading the labels on the medicine bottle, Eren popped out two pills and handed them to Levi. “Take this. It’ll help.”

Two pills and half a glass of water later, Levi was safely tucked in bed. Even though it wasn’t close to being nighttime, he hoped the drowsiness side effects of the medication would put Levi to sleep. His husband clearly needed it.

“Now, just get some sleep, Levi. I’ll be in the living room if you need anything.”

There was a small grunt as he exited the room. Shutting the door quietly behind him, Eren padded softly to the living room. Erwin had also given him the next two days to take care of Levi, joking that if someone weren’t there with Levi, the alpha would only drag his work back to bed with him.

There was no doubt that Levi had been overworking himself. The long hours at the office and dark circles around the alpha’s eyes were a testament to it. Eren still wasn’t close with his husband, but with everything that had happened in the last few months, they had barely paused to celebrate Christmas or the New Years.

Levi in particular.

If he wasn’t in the office, Levi was holed up in his office at home. The only breaks Eren knew he took were the short ones for tea or to shower. There were a couple of times Eren had come back home late Saturday or Sunday afternoon, only to find that the meals he had prepared for Levi were untouched. He wasn’t sure if his husband even slept. Levi was always up before him in the morning and awake long after he had gone to bed.

It was no wonder Levi had fallen ill. The man didn’t seem to know when to _stop_ and relax.

Sitting down on the sofa, Eren booted up his laptop. The least he could do was look up cold and flu symptoms. There was nothing good on TV in the mornings and he didn’t want to risk making too much noise to wake Levi. In many respects, although the condo was his home now, to Eren, it still felt like he was living in a stranger’s apartment.

 

By nine in the evening, Levi’s fever still hadn’t broken. The man had slept most of the day, only waking up for a short period in the early afternoon because Eren had woken him. It wasn’t just sleep that Levi needed. He needed nourishment too if he was to get better. Feeding a sick person on the bed hadn’t been easy. Levi had insisted on eating in the kitchen, but Eren had shot down the decision. In the end, he had managed to get a bowl of soup into the dark-haired man before tucking Levi back into bed.

“Ugh, I feel gross.” Levi groaned, trying to sit up. “Help me to the shower, will you?”

“Levi, you can’t.” Eren hurried on before the alpha could talk back. “What if you collapse again? You can take as many showers _after_ you’re back to normal.” He felt bad for Levi though; lying down and trying to rest feeling sticky and sweaty wasn’t pleasant. And having been sick before, Eren knew just how disgusting it was to wake up all sticky and gross.

A spark of inspiration came as he eyed the towel hanging in the bathroom. “You know what? What here for a sec.”

“Tch, it’s not like I can go anywhere.”

Eren came back with two towels in hand. One wetted with hot water – he didn’t want Levi getting cold and sicker after all – and another dry. Helping Levi sit back up, he grimaced at how warm his husband’s body was.

“What’re you doing?” The question came out slurred as Eren tugged off the blanket and pulled off Levi’s sweat soaked shirt.

“Wiping you down. Lean forward.”

“Heh, pervy brat.” There was a tired snort as Levi moved so he could wipe the man’s back. “Couldn’t wait to get your hands on me, eh?”

“Hush,” Eren reprimanded. Levi was clearly delirious as he swayed sitting up.

“Bossy brat.” There was another snort as Levi raised his arm.

Had it been another time, he might have taken more time to look his mate over, but right now just wanted to get Levi clean and into new clothes before bed. Making quick work of it, he wiped the sweat off Levi’s torso, pausing briefly as he neared the trail of dark hairs, before helping Levi into a set of PJs he had unearthed earlier. It fit better than the shirt Eren had loaned him earlier.

When he was done, Eren pulled the comforters back over his husband. The act of sitting up seemed to have exhausted the older male, as Levi yawned and closed his eyes upon being tucked back into bed. Eren turned his back and was about to leave when he heard a small noise.

“Too fucking h-hot…”

“I’ll go and get you more medicine and water. Just stay there.”

When he returned, however, things weren’t as he left them.

“Levi? How are you f – Shit!” Eren hurriedly put down the tray and pulled the covers back over Levi again. He had only been gone a couple of minutes and during that short stint, the alpha had thrown the blankets off and was now shivering.

“C-cold…” The mumble escaped through clattering teeth. Empty dark orbs gazed at him as he tucked the sheet and blankets over Levi once more. It didn’t seem to help with the chills. Quickly jogging to the linen closet, he pulled out the fleece throw. It wasn’t much, but it might help provide a little more warmth. The rest of the blankets were already piled up on the alpha.

Unfortunately, the throw didn’t seem to do anything. Levi was still shivering.

Wracking his mind, it didn’t make sense why Levi was feeling the cold. He had checked Levi’s temperature less than ten minutes ago and the alpha was still feverish. But then again, even after having read up on flu symptoms and remedies, Eren wasn’t particularly well-versed in medicine.

Resting his palm on the flushed forehead, Eren frowned at the fact that _he_ felt warmer than Levi. Replacing his hand, he gently tapped his forehead to the sick man’s. Maybe the thermometer was wrong? It was also possible he had placed the thermometer incorrectly last time.

Picking up the electronic device, he slipped his arm under the blankets, trying to find Levi’s underarm. The moment Eren did, however, Levi’s arms came around him, trapping him. It was as if his mate was seeking his heat.

“Levi, what are you doing?” Eren hissed, trying to keep his balance and pull back his arm. Levi had a surprisingly strong grip even when sick.

The question was promptly ignored as arms tugged him down once more. Giving up, Eren kicked off his slippers and slipped under the bed. It was a little uncomfortable being in jeans and everything, but it was better than nothing. At least it solved the question about where he was going to sleep and how he was going to keep an eye on the sick alpha.

Almost immediately, Levi slid towards him, arms wrapping his middle from behind. Eren stiffened at the unfamiliar sensation of Levi’s feverishly warm, but steady breathing feathering against his neck. Even with his temperature running high, it seemed like Levi still felt cold. Eren wished they could switch positions and he could be the big spoon instead – it would provide more warmth since he was taller anyways – but arms around him suggested otherwise.

The moment those arms wrapped around him, though, it seemed Levi stopped shaking and simply drifted off peacefully. It left Eren lying there in an awkward situation though. It certainly did not help that Levi had molded himself against Eren’s back, the alpha’s groin flat against his ass. On some basic, biological level, being ensconced in his mate’s scent made his inner omega more at peace than he could remember being.

But all it did was confuse him further.

The boundaries between work and their private lives were blurred given how they worked and lived in close proximity to one another. But they had somehow made it work over the last couple of weeks. Levi buried himself in work and didn’t bother Eren much, and he returned the same courtesy to his husband. There was still a wall between them, but it had gone down a little after moving in together. More often than not, any non-work conversation they had would trail off into silence. Levi wasn’t talkative and Eren found it difficult to breach the gap between them when the other man wouldn’t let him in. There were a few rare times Levi seemed to let him in and show his vulnerabilities, but those were far and few in between.

His husband’s actions right now, however, made it difficult to reconcile the alpha he had married with the sick man on the bed spooning him. If it had been any other situation, he would have struggled to escape Levi’s grasp – the man didn’t seem to have any idea what was going on – but Eren knew that one of the best ways to break a bad fever was by keeping oneself warm.  Adjusting the blanket around them slightly, Eren listened as Levi’s breathing slowly evened out, softly feathering against his neck. It was impossible to sleep being cocooned in such gentle warmth with his alpha, but he soon found his eyes fluttering closed.

 

* * *

 

Levi woke up to the sensation of being smothered in heat. It was just unbearably warm as he shuffled around in the blanket. Blinking awake, he was slightly disoriented waking up in his bedroom after not having used it for so long. The room still looked the same, but when he turned his head to look at the clock, Levi was shocked at finding himself face to face with the peaceful sleeping face of his clothed mate. It would explain why he was so warm. Somehow he was being spooned by damn brat, limbs around him and all.

Gently prying Eren’s arms and legs away from him, he was surprised to find it was almost eight in the morning on Thursday. His memory of the past few hours was fuzzy at least. Normally he’d find himself up by four in the morning usually, but five latest. Then again, he _had_ been sick.

His mind was still woozy from what had happened over the course of his illness. Most of it was a haze, but the alpha definitely remembered Eren feeding him and taking his temperature. He'd have to thank the omega for taking care of him.

Levi was unused to having someone care for him. The last time he had been seriously ill was his first winter over in the States, and one of the servants had taken care of everything. It was cold and impersonal, which was more or less what he had expected, but Levi had never had someone close to him nurse him back to life. There were a few episodes of getting wasted and being hung over at Erwin or Hange’s place, but a couple of pain meds and a shower later and he was fine. Levi couldn’t even remember how he had gotten into his bed in the first place.

Padding softly to the adjoining bathroom, he shut the door behind him. Splashing cold water on his face, the icy temperature helped jump start his mind slightly as Levi stared into the mirror. The dark rings around his eyes were ever-present and his face was tinged with an unhealthy pallor, but at least there was a tinge of pink in them. Least he didn’t completely look like death; more like death warmed up.

Divesting himself of his clothes, Levi was surprised that Eren had somehow managed to change him into the only pair of pajamas he had. He recalled being wrapped up in one of the omega’s shirts for a while, but Eren must have changed his clothes again. Levi preferred to sleep naked or only in his boxers – he would never have spent a fortune on silk sheets otherwise – and had only bought the black cashmere blend under duress. Hange had once invited all their friends to a PJ party and insisted Levi attend. They were grown-ups for fuck sakes, but Shitty Glasses had blackmailed him, and so he had bought the pair since he didn’t want to go prancing around their house and sleeping in their shit without knowing when it was last laundered. Since then, it had just sat in his closet.

When he was fully naked, Levi expected his skin to be sweatier and gross given how he would have sweated like a pig while in bed, but there was only a thin of sheen of sweat. Figuring that Eren must have wiped his skin off while he was asleep or something, he tried to imagine how the brat might have reacted seeing his scars and snorted. If the brat didn’t like them then, he certainly didn’t need to look.

Cleaning himself off in the shower, Levi pulled on a light shirt and a pair of pants before trudging towards the kitchen. He would need to call Erwin and apologize for skipping work, but that could wait. His stomach rumbled in protest as he opened the fridge door seeking sustenance. It was always like this after an illness.

 

* * *

 

Eren had a moment of panic when he woke and saw that Levi wasn’t by his side. When had he fallen asleep? And so comfortably too?

The last thing he remembered was that he had been pulled into the bed by Levi who had been suffering from the chills. The fever hadn’t broken and getting out of bed was _not_ how one got better. Rolling out of bed, Eren didn’t both with brushing his teeth or changing clothes as he hurried to the hallway, searching for a sign of his husband. What if Levi had collapsed again?

Hearing the chime of something going off, he headed towards the kitchen, surprised to find Levi carrying a small plate of toast and tea towards the table.

“Levi! You’re… up.” _And eating toast._ Eren blinked a few times just to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating. When it was clear that Levi was awake and eating breakfast, he let out a sigh of relief. “How are you feeling?”

“Shitty.”

“Well, you did have a fever yesterday.” Walking towards the cupboards, Eren popped two more slices of bread into the toaster. “I called Erwin yesterday about your condition and he gave us two days off. You should definitely get some more rest after eating, just in case.”

There was a small grunt from the older man.

“I’m serious. What if you get sick again?”

“Tch, fine.”

After a strangely silent breakfast, they made their way back to the bedroom. Eren was vastly relieved when he measured Levi’s temperature and found that the fever had broken. The alpha still looked worn out as he sat back in the bed.

“Mind bringing me my laptop? There are a few files I need to prep for tomorrow’s meeting.”

“Levi, Erwin has everything covered. You need to stop worrying about work and _rest_.” He stressed the last part.

“I’m sick, not an invalid.”

“Levi…” Running a hand over his hair, Eren sighed. Even though he wasn’t the one who had been running a fever and exhausted, taking care of Levi had been a stressful ordeal. It had been difficult enough taking care of a delirious alpha, but at least he had been able to muscle his way into making sure Levi got sleep. Now that Levi was awake, his original tactics wouldn’t work. He needed to reason with the unreasonable man. “…just get some rest. You can read over everything later this afternoon.”

Stormy silver eyes held his gaze for a long minute before Levi finally looked away. “Tch, fine.”

“Good.” Eren wanted to cheer for the small victory. The alpha must have realized the futility in butting heads with him over it. Eren knew he could very stubborn when he wanted to be. “I’ll be in the living room if you need anything.”

Before he could shut the door behind him, Levi called out. “Oi, brat.”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.”

The small, simple word of gratitude made Eren smile. Levi wasn’t the type to throw such words around willy-nilly. Admittedly, he _had_ spent the entire day yesterday nursing Levi, but having his hard work appreciated was always nice.

“No problem. Hope you feel better soon, Levi.” Eren nodded, pulling the door closed behind him.


	13. Chapter 13

“Leaving so soon, Levi?”

“Shut up, Eyebrows.”

Ever since he had gotten sick, Eren had been on his case, trying to get him to eat and live more healthily. Food had never been a major part of his life and unless it tasted or looked like shit, anything was fine. Instead of realizing that, Eren had taken it to heart that what he was making was only average and took to asking Levi to go grocery shopping, in hopes of finding something he liked. It was tedious dealing with the same question, worded differently, and after what felt like the hundredth time, Levi had eventually agreed on the shitty grocery trip. It was a one-time deal.

But that was only one small chip amongst the other things Eren was trying to change. The stubborn brat had badgered him endlessly to eat a proper breakfast and sleep regularly, even going so far as to threaten to make and bring Levi lunch in the office if he didn’t comply. At first, when he had refused, Eren had stopped brewing his regular tea, forcing Levi to confront the hard-headed brat. Having a pot of tea ready in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings, like clockwork, had become a routine, and Levi had been _pissed_ when it stopped. He had been very tempted to kick the brat out of the condo, but doing so would not have solved the lack of tea problem. The feuding had eventually come to head in the office after Erwin had asked for some reports from him, which were late since he hadn’t been able to concentrate on work with the horse piss the other incompetent fucks in the office had tried to pass for tea; the damn traitor had sided with _the_ brat and told Levi to try and compromise.

He couldn’t deny that the brat had a tight grasp on his stomach though. Sure, Levi had tasted more expensive and high-class cuisine, but there was something about the food that Eren made which warmed his cockles. Not having to worry about the condition of the kitchen in which the food was made was yet another point in favor for having the omega cook for him.

“I never pegged you as the type to leave work on time.” Levi clicked his tongue as Erwin dodged the sloppily aimed elbow he had intended to hit the insufferable blond giant. “Not telling me? Does it have something to do with Eren?”

“Tch, what do you know?” The last thing he needed was to let the giant blonde in on the status of his relationship with Eren. Erwin had interfered enough already.

The new sensations Eren elicited in him were troubling. Levi wasn’t sure how to properly deal with them. Or even _if_ he should.

He knew Eren was trying to take care of him – the flu had wasted both of their precious time – but Levi was a fully grown thirty-one-year-old. He didn’t need someone nitpicking and trying to dictate his entire life. He had experienced enough of that living with Kenny.

Unlike many others though, Levi had never experienced the warmth of a family or someone waiting for him to come home growing up. Suppressing all emotions had been the norm. And yet, Eren somehow drew out the long-buried emotions he had long forgotten. There was an uncomfortable niggling in Levi’s chest whenever the omega was concerned.

Nowadays, his morning routine had become one in which he ate breakfast, rather unwillingly, with Eren. It was the only way the brat would agree to make his tea. Hell, the stubborn shit had even managed to wheedle him into sharing a bed at night. Though, sleeping alongside Eren was no hardship at all.

Levi had always had difficulties sleeping. Buying a memory foam mattress had relieved some of that, but not much. Lying down by Eren, listening to the omega’s shallow, rhythmic breathing, and feeling the soft warmth of the younger male’s body did the trick. There was something soothing in the light, sweet scent wafting from his mate, lulling him to dreamless sleep. The first time he had gone to bed, healthy and hale, with the brat had been slightly awkward – Eren wouldn’t stop shifting – but, strangely, it had been Levi’s best night of sleep. Ever. The alpha couldn’t even recall the last time he had such a peaceful night. Although he was awake before the sun was up, Levi couldn’t complain even if he woke and found himself pressed up against his mate … not that Eren knew about it.

“Don’t you have more paperwork or something to fill out, Eyebrows?” He asked, trying to distract Erwin from questioning him further.

“Actually I’m pretty much caught up for the day.”

“Fuck you, bastard.” Levi hated paperwork. It was one of the necessary evils he could deal without. One of the downsides of working at a new company was attempting to iron out all the kinks. No one really knew where and what things needed to get done, and they needed to fill out new forms for each new contract or client. It was an unending torrent of administrative bullshit.

“Hey, my parents were married. And we both know I’m not your type.” Erwin chuckled at him.

Too pissed to verbally respond, Levi stuck a middle finger up in the air. The guffaw only got louder, chasing him down the hall. “Just remember to try and compromise, Levi!”

 

* * *

 

Shopping for groceries with Levi was an experience similar to shopping to kitchen equipment Eren discovered. He should have known better after the first venture out with Levi.

Suffice it to say, the man wasn’t much help. Although Levi knew what most ingredients looked like, he had no idea what or how to make anything. Or what sorts of things to combine on a plate. When they walked past the meat section and Eren had pointed at the different cuts of beef, Levi had glared and told him to pick whatever was appropriate.

“What do you like in your pasta sauce?” When had had first asked Levi to join him, he had done so to try and figure out what Levi might want to eat. Part of it might be simply feeling indebted towards his husband, but it was more than that. Eren knew he didn’t need to take care of the older man – it would be much less work and Levi would also appreciate being left alone – but it felt like the _right_ thing to do. The omega inside him was also of the same opinion. “Tomatoes? Mushrooms? Peppers?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Levi shrugged.

“Don’t blame me if it doesn’t suit your taste buds then.” He mumbled under his breath, grabbing two cans of tomato paste and a box of rigatoni as he did so. Eren wanted to strangle Levi for being so blasé about everything. The last thing a chef wanted to hear was that everything was ‘not bad.’ It was the equivalent of saying that nothing was good.

“What’d you say?”

“Nothing.” Eren answered, a little louder this time. Levi’s ability to pick up on the smallest sounds was commendable. It was one of the things that had taken a little getting used to. Eren had never known how often he talked to himself until Levi had commented on it.

The other major thing he had noticed after they had begun sharing a bed was that Levi was a cuddler. He had known Levi had sought him out while ill, but attributed those actions to delusions of a sick man. Eren knew better now.

More often than not, Levi went to bed after he did and woke up before him, so sharing the same bed hadn’t been much different from sleeping alone. Most mornings, the bed sheets next to him were mussed up and warmer, but he had never thought much of it. The first time it happened, Eren had been utterly surprised to find Levi suddenly wrapped up around him in the middle of the night. He had lain there for a few minutes just to make sure his husband was still asleep and he wasn’t dreaming, and it wasn’t. The behavior seemed completely at odds with the alpha’s personality. But then it happened a few more times, each time with them somehow snuggled up to each other, and Eren had come to accept that it must have been an unconscious action on Levi’s part. The older man was averse to any physical contact when awake.

They hadn’t done much more than sleep, thankfully. Once, Eren had woken to the feeling of something hard poking him in the thigh, only to realize it was Levi’s morning wood. It had been difficult falling back asleep, but at least Levi made it easy to deal with. The man had woken up shortly afterwards, gotten out of bed, and acted like nothing was wrong. Although they were sharing a bed, Eren was glad it hadn’t gone any further. Things were already complicated enough without having sex added to the mix.

As confusing as it was for Eren to unravel the dichotomy of Levi’s unconscious and conscious actions, the internal battle he struggled with did not make that any easier. Instinct, rationality, and morality battled for dominance within him when it came to dealing with his _mate_. The simplest course of action would be to ignore Levi and continue the lifestyle they had shared back at the estate. But it was too late for that. The brunet also hated the idea of being completely dependent on anyone for his livelihood. To make matters worse, even though he operated on a completely differently wavelength than Levi, his inner omega craved contact with the alpha; it wanted him to be closer to and reveal everything to the dark-haired male.

Pushing the cart down the aisle, Eren contemplated the direction his life was heading. It was as though an opaque canvas lay in front of him and there was no way of telling what was going to happen. Perhaps it was this fear of the unknown that had his biological instincts screaming to grab ahold of whatever or _whoever_ was closest.

How best to deal with Levi’s lofty cleaning and job standards made the equation difficult to solve, but having spent a sizable length of time with Levi, it was easier to see that many of his harsh words were his genuine thoughts. Unlike many, Levi didn’t disguise his opinions with sweet talk or coddle people. It was sink or swim. And a compliment or even a small comment as ‘not bad’ was high praise. Eren was definitely more at ease around Levi than he had been several months back. His trepidation and fear of the man had melted away, but he still wasn’t completely comfortable divulging his darkest fears or deepest secrets. Despite the changes between them, though, Levi was still very much walled off from him.

Spotting some potted herbs off to the side, Eren headed for the plants. At the very least, thinking of food was vastly more simple than contemplating his relationship with someone who loved shit jokes and was impossible to read.

Home-grown basil would be perfect whenever he wanted to toss together a pesto and having thyme and sage would be great too…

 

* * *

 

“Hey, do you mind if I grow some herbs and flowers?” Eren’s all-too-cheery voice rang out. Levi scowled at the plants in front of them. Too focused on trying not to walk out from the store – the floor was grey with shoe prints and tracks from the grocery cart – he hadn’t been paying much attention to what was going on. “I’ve been waiting for spring to hit, and they’d be perfect with the south-facing window.”

His instincts screamed at him to say no. Plants would only mean dirt, which would mean that the apartment would get filthy. But as Erwin had pointed out, he needed to work _with_ , not against, the brat. The latter would only result unnecessary tension at home and work.

“…why?” Levi gritted out after a moment. See? He _was_ trying to compromise.

“Well, we had an herb garden back at the mansion and it’d be nice to have fresh herbs when cooking.”

If Eren had just wanted plants for decorative reasons, Levi would have shot it down immediately, but at least the brat had a decent reason for wanting the greenery. His husband had already made an attempt to buy fresh herbs when making food – once even driving out for basil or something specific, Levi didn’t bother to listen too deeply – so owning them would be both efficacious and please the stubborn brat. “…Fine. As long as they’re not kept indoors.”

“Okay.” The brunet nodded, before strolling towards the potted plants.

It took Eren at least three trips back and forth before he was satisfied with his selection. Levi really didn’t care about any of it. The sooner they were done, the better. Eren had asked if he wanted to help pick them out, but the sight of the filthy black specks of dirt made him recoil.

“Oi, Yeager.” He was about to ask whether Eren was finally done playing gardener when the omega looked up at him. Maybe Levi was just delusional after being around so many strong scents, but there was something in those eyes that seemed at odds with the levity in Eren’s eyes as he picked out the herbs and flowers he wanted. Carefully taking in a whiff of Eren’s scent, lest he get too wrapped up in it, Levi could detect a melancholic undercurrent to his mate’s scent. Why the fuck would anyone feel sad when thinking of some shitty plants?

But this was not the time or place to wrangle the truth out of the brat. Levi let the issue slide; he’d find out eventually.

 

Leaning back against the sofa more than three hours after the fucking stupid trip, Levi swore never to go grocery shopping ever again. If it wasn’t bad enough that Eren had bought plants, they had to wait in line for thirty minutes before they could checkout. Even worse, one of the pots had tipped over and left a trail of dirt in the car trunk. The brat had offered to vacuum it, but Levi knew he wouldn’t be satisfied with just some slipshod job.

Looking up as Eren returned indoors from where he had transplanted the plants, the alpha could detect the discordance between Eren’s initial enthusiasm for plants and the grey aura surrounding the omega again. Putting aside his papers, he sighed. Although he really didn’t care for what was going on in the stubborn brat’s head, it was unusual to see Eren like this. And if there was one thing Levi knew how to spot, it was the fact that Eren was hiding something. “What’s wrong?”

“Levi?” Eren was slightly startled, looking around the room before the pair of viridian orbs landed on him. “Are you asking me?”

“No shit, dumbass.” Who else would he have been speaking to?

A flicker of fire came back when Eren registered that he had been called a dumbass. “Nothing’s wrong. Why are you asking?”

“Bullshit.” Tch, it was clear as day that he wasn’t telling the truth. The brat sucked at lying.

Keeping his eyes locked on the omega’s vibrant green ones, Eren broke away first, making his way into the kitchen and avoiding Levi’s gaze. “It’s just that they reminded me of something I hadn’t thought about in some time.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Th-they just reminded me of my mom.”

Oh.

Well, fuck. He had inadvertently stepped on the bomb. He didn’t know much of Eren’s life growing up, but it was clear from the snippets of conversation they had before that Eren had been very close with his mom and still grieved for her passing. Levi wanted to take back his previous question, but it was too late.

It was impossible for him to relate with his mate. He barely remembered his mom and the closest person to him was… probably Hange or Erwin; not that he would tell either of them. He certainly did not know the right thing to say. At least the brat wasn’t shutting him out.

But he had found out that spilling the painful memories, if even by a little bit, was sometimes the best form of catharsis.

“How so?” The inquiry sounded weak even to Levi’s own ears.

Eren stared at him in disbelief for a moment, as though doubting he had correctly, before opening his mouth.

“I guess it’s not really a secret or anything. We had a small herb garden growing up. My mom would plant seeds after winter and when I wasn’t at school or in the park, I would help her water or take care of them. Or at least I would try. My dad forced me stop after she died.” There was a wan smile as Eren glanced at him. “I guess it’s been a while since I’ve thought of it. Gardening and cooking are really I have left of her.”

“Why’d your dad make you stop?” Thinking of Grisha as his father-in-law was even harder for him than thinking of Eren as his husband. He barely knew Eren’s dad. On paper, the man fit the typical successful doctor-cum-businessman stereotype, but all of Eren’s descriptions of the man ran contrary to that. And Levi knew just how much of a gap there was between one’s public and private face.

“He didn’t want me doing anything he thought was useless.”

Mulling over words in his head, Levi was unsure how to respond. Saying that that ‘it sucked’ or some bullshit was just that: bullshit. Even after having known the brat for over a year, if he counted their first meeting, he felt like he barely scratched the surface of who he had really married.

Thankfully he didn’t have to come up with a response when Eren declared his intention to shower.

 

Sliding under the covers, Levi closed his eyes, trying to rest. It had been a long day with all the reports and the shopping trip Eren had dragged him along. All he wanted to do was get some shut eye for the meeting tomorrow.

Just when he thought he could finally drift off, however, a small noise startled him awake. Trying to shut it out, it started up again five minutes later. Fully awake and unable to sleep now, he focused his senses, searching for the source of the noise.

“Nnn… nnn…” The whimper was a little louder and accompanied by a shifting of the comforter. A few seconds later, it seemed to stop before growing in volume and strength.

Giving up, he flicked on the table lamp and was met with the sight of Eren in what looked to be in the throes of a nightmare, or at least a bad dream. Levi had suffered enough of them to know they weren’t pleasant.

“Oi brat, wake up.” Levi shook Eren lightly, but it didn’t seem to wake him from whatever nightmare he was suffering from.

“Eren, wake up damn it!” Jerking harder on Eren’s arm, the combination of yelling and pulling did the trick.

“Wha–!” The omega gasped, eyes open in shock from being so rudely awakened.

“Bad dream?”

The expression on his husband’s face was enough to answer the question, but it was better to ask anyways. Eren didn’t look scared. He looked sad. The normally bright green eyes were glassy. “Yeah…”

“…Want to talk about it?” Hell, Levi already went through something close enough to a heart-to-heart with the brat today. Another one couldn’t kill him. And if Eren simply fell back asleep, it would likely just be a repeat of what had just happened.

“Not really.”

“…Okay, then.” Levi replied as nonchalantly as he could. Whether to tell him or not was Eren’s choice and the younger male’s choice was clear. He wasn’t going to pry further.

Staring at some dark corner of the room, the fluorescent lighting was beginning to burn Levi’s eyes, but Eren hadn’t mentioned wanting to fall back asleep. “Should I turn the lights off?” Hopefully, Eren wouldn’t dream the same thing again.

There was a pregnant pause as Eren shrunk back into the blankets. “…I guess.”

There was a small click as the light went out. Lying back down and closing his eyes once more, Levi grimaced when he felt Eren moving around the blanket again. Sleeping in the same bed was still an awkward process for both of them, but this was more distracting than usual. Normally he would have told the brat off, but Levi hadn’t the heart to do so, particularly as Eren had just woken from a bad dream.

“Uhh… Levi?” The omega called out timidly.

“What?”

“Can I hug you?”

The alpha blanched at the question. Physical contact was not an easy thing for Levi to stomach. Even if it was with a brat that looked and smelled good.

He must have taken too long to respond since Eren spoke up again, turning away slightly as he did. “… never mind. I-I’ll just…”

Levi sighed. He knew he was going to regret it later, but it was a pain in the ass dealing with an upset stubborn shit at work. And he had become somewhat used to waking up next to the omega. “Tch, c’mere brat.”

Reaching over, Levi slid his arms around Eren’s waist and shifted himself closer so they were front to back. Eren’s back was ramrod stiff, but once he realized Levi wasn’t doing much else, he gradually relaxed. It was strange being so willingly close to someone else, but Levi didn’t dare move away after what had just transpired. It seemed to be enough to calm Eren down though as the omega’s breathing eventually evened out. Levi soon found himself falling into yet another dreamless sleep as well.

This time they both slept uninterrupted through the night.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for not being able to keep the POV completely separate here (and in advance for a few later chapters).
> 
> * * *

“Umm… Levi?” Eren sat down nervously across the coffee table from his husband. “So… I was thinking…”

“Tch, imagine that.” Levi scoffed and Eren could literally see the sarcastic eyeroll that accompanied it.

“Levi!” He cried out in indignation before forcing himself to calm down. Feeling irritated wouldn’t help deal with what he wanted to say. “Anyways… so umm… c-can you find somewhere else to go for the next few days?” Darting his eyes around, Eren refused to meet the puzzled look in those silvery dark eyes.

It was already embarrassing enough for him to discuss such a sensitive matter. Talking about his impending heat was something the omega had never done before and it reminded him of all the things he did and said during those episodes. Things that he would much rather no one else hear him. Even if going into heat was entirely natural, Eren couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed having brought it up. How did normal bonded couples discuss such things?

“Why? Are you doing something I should be aware of?” The coldness of Levi’s question made him shudder. Perhaps he should have rephrased the question. They had barely talked, let alone about such sensitive matters in the past.

“N-no… it-it’s my heat.” Eren blushed at mention, glancing down at his hands. Although they had slept together, he was still vastly inexperienced and talking about sex and heats made him uncomfortable. His last heat had been in December, two weeks before the move, so this was the first time he had needed to discuss it. Every time he entered his heat, it was like he become someone else completely.  A needy omega who would do anything to be seeded by his alpha. The last thing he wanted was for Levi to be present and see him at his worst. “I-I thought you might want to go somewhere else…”

“Aren’t you on suppressants?”

“Yes. But the-they don’t work well.” Eren stuttered, uncertain how to proceed. He didn’t have much experience with being mated and going into heat, but it was strange. Ever since he had mated, the suppressants didn’t seem to work. Because his dad owned a pharmaceutical company that made suppressants, Eren had had access to the newest, top of the line commercially available suppressant. It had worked back then, but the pills he received didn’t seem effective anymore.

He had read up on the fact that suppressants might not be as effective after being mated, but whatever he was taking seemed completely ineffective. Eren didn’t have anything to compare his experiences against though. It was possible that they were somewhat dulling the onslaught of his heat, but that was difficult to tell without strict testing. The scents of the few other alphas didn’t seem to affect him during the prodromal phase, but the moment he encountered Levi’s scent, everything changed.

The closer it was to his heat, the worse the effects. Every whiff of his mate’s scent sent him reeling. His body craved it like a drug; desperately seeking more. There were no words to describe the heated sensations coursing through his veins, the blood pounding in his ears, the delirium from his body being denied its pleasure. The heat he had experienced on his wedding night had been mild in comparison, but that might have been because the drugs were still working on him. Eren didn’t know what it was about his mated status, but suppressants were no longer effective when Levi was around.

Back on the Ackerman estate, he could simply avoid the alpha by hiding in another wing of the house. And with all the cleaning the servants had done, it wasn’t difficult to find a room that didn’t carry Levi’s musky sandalwood scent. The servants were also discreet enough that they would act as a go-between to ferry any communications if necessary.

But things were quite different now.

Even with the cleaning and laundry, Levi’s scent had permeated every nook and cranny of the apartment. There would be no escaping it once his heat hit. Eren didn’t have much experience with unsuppressed heats, and the one on his wedding night was mild compared to the ones he had been having. Perhaps the suppressants hadn’t completely run their course, but on one rare occasion, he had smelled Levi in the hallway and it had triggered the most intense heat he had ever experienced. Blood rushed to his head, his nether regions throbbed with need, and his body was ablaze with fervent desire. Nothing had been able to provide relief. His inner omega demanded him to seek the source of the scent, and to prostrate himself until the alpha had taken him. If one whiff sent him into such a state, Eren could only imagine what it would be like if Levi was next door and the smells of his mate were everywhere.

It was at times like these, when it was impossible to deny his biology, that Eren hated being an omega. If he had been born a beta, like so many people around him, his life wouldn’t have gotten so screwed up. Even if most people accepted and found it normal, it made him uncomfortable dealing with the dirty, judgmental stares leveled at him simply because he was an omega. It might not be true, but he had grown up under the auspices of his father who had made him fear and believe that everyone else was out to get him. That breeding was the only good that would ever emerge from his identity as a male omega.

“I see…” The icy light in Levi’s eyes died down and was replaced with a blank look. “Do you want me to go?”

“Huh?” They had been housed in separate rooms in the mansion and whenever his heat hit, Eren would leave a note with one of the servants and they would take care of the rest. It would have been trivial for Levi to spend the night in some faraway room or elsewhere, but that was different now. “I-I thought…”

“To be honest, brat. I hate hotels. There’s no clue who stayed there before and what they did.” Levi ran a hair through his head. He had been operating under the assumption that Eren had it under control with his suppressants. That had been what it looked like in the couple of months they had been married, after all. He never thought that he would have to deal this situation, but even drugs had their limitations he supposed. “I’ve always stayed in another room at the mansion.”

“That’s okay… I can always go somewhere…” Eren cringed at the idea of spending his heat elsewhere. Even if it was going to be more intense, some part of him was soothed by the fact Levi’s scent was all over the apartment, and the omega did not want to give that part up. None of that was going to be true if he were to spend his heat elsewhere though. Not only would strangers be able to hear and smell him, but they would likely know what he was up to.

“No, you’re mine.” The growl was out before Levi could help it. He tensed at the thought of the omega spending his heat elsewhere. Even if Eren’s scent was not supposed to affect anyone as strongly as it did him, there was always a chance that someone else might take advantage of _his_ omega.

“Levi?” Eren cast him a confused look and Levi blinked slowly, wondering where the sudden need to monopolize the omega came from.

“Never mind, just stay here. I’ll figure something out.” Shaking the strange bout of possessiveness away, Levi quashed any such feelings. He might have grown closer to the brat over time, but the brat was still a brat. “What do you do most times for your heat anyways?”

“Err…” Eren flushed bright red, eyes not quite meeting the gunmetal orbs who stared blankly back. “Jerk off and stuff I guess…?”

As disgusting as that sounded, it also sent a small thrill through the alpha. Levi scowled at the sudden imagery of Eren touching himself and crying out his name.

Before he could properly relish the thought, however, disappointment and rage swept through him. It wasn’t like Eren _wanted_ to spend his heat with him. It was quite the opposite in fact. Eren wanted him _gone._

Crossing his arms, he emptied his face of emotion. “Tch, just make sure you clean up after you’re done, brat.”

 

* * *

 

Was it just him or was the room unusually warm? Perhaps the heating was broken. His hands were sweaty and his throat was conspicuously dry.

Walking over to the kitchen, Eren grabbed a glass and filled it was with water. He could feel the relief the moment the cool substance hit his tongue and slid down his throat. Refilling the glass, a familiar surge welled up inside him. There was a glassy thud as the cup hit the sink.

Eren’s legs were shaky as he gripped the countertop. His heat had never been so intense that he lost his footing. Clawing back upright, he blinked, trying to clear his mind but it was completely lost in a haze. The cold granite countertop grounded him as he slowly gathered his thoughts.

Heat.

Need… what was it again?

…Alpha. Where was his alpha?

There were traces of his alpha where he was, but they weren’t strong. “Alpha?” The omega whined, seeking his mate. When there was no response, he headed for the next best option, seeking out the place with the strongest trace of the alpha’s scent. The bedroom.

Stumbling, Eren rushed back to the bedroom and slammed the door shut. It wasn’t safe in an open space where there was a risk of being seen. If his alpha wasn’t present, he needed to seclude and ready himself until his alpha came back. Trembling, Eren’s fingers were jelly-like as he rushed to undo all the buttons on his shirt. Why had he even worn the button-down in the first place?

By the time he had divested himself of that blasted shirt his thighs had begun to chafe at the feel of denim. It was too much sensation for his tingly nerves. Cool air skated over his bare skin, but instead of soothing it only turned him on more. Heat pooled in his core as his hips bucked against his pants unconsciously. The rest of the world blurred around him as he hurriedly ripped off his pants and boxers, diving into the mattress to soak up his alpha’s scent.

His head was dizzy, reveling in the scent of his alpha. Lightheaded, Eren plunged nose-first into the sheets, greedily inhaling the remnants of his mate’s scent. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to imagine it was his mate’s hands roaming his body, touching him, coaxing him. His skin was too tight, his body too hot, and his mind was in an utter haze as he moaned into the bed. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before.

During his previous heats he had been able to keep the barest hint of normal thought.

But not now.

All Eren could think about was seeking relief.

He needed his alpha.

He needed _Levi._

Had it been any other time, Eren would be embarrassed for being so wanton, moaning and gasping, seeking pleasure, but it didn’t bother him right now. The only thing that registered in the omega’s feeble mind was that even if his mate’s scent was all around him, his alpha wasn’t present. Why wasn’t his alpha here? He needed his mate…

“Levi…” He cried out into the silence, punctuated only by his breathing, hoping there would be a reply.

Somehow noticing a wayward shirt of Levi’s lying on the chair next to the cupboard, Eren staggered towards it, grabbing it and smothering his face in the masculine scent. A large shudder ran through him as he moaned, rubbing the shirt against his body, covering himself with the alpha’s sandalwood and pine musk.

Gasping and trembling for breath, Eren imagined the alpha was touching him, whispering into his ears. Beads of sweat covered his body as he touched himself, using Levi’s shirt to toy with his swollen nipples. Running one hand down his body, Eren clutched the shirt against his nose, moaning as his hand came in contact with his swollen organ. Stroking his cock, the omega felt the fiery need grow, but it wasn’t enough to satiate the painful desire. Having Levi’s scent so close, but no alpha was sheer torture.

Unable to stand any long, Eren raced unsteadily back to the bed, burrowing inside the blankets and sheets around him, wrapping himself in a cocoon of spicy musk, as his hands began to move. Pinching, twisting, and caressing himself with his alpha’s shirt.

Recalling the sensation of Levi’s morning wood pressing against him, he moved one hand back, prodding his fingers inside. Although Eren had never really played with his ass before, the digits slipped in easily. Pushing them deeper inside, he imagined it was his alpha’s pale, long fingers toying with him, coaxing him to completion. 

“Ahnn… Levi…” Eren rutted backwards against his hand, seeking relief from the yawning void inside him.

His mind was foggy with desire, his body ablaze with unending heat. The fiery conflagration devouring him and burning away any trace of rational thought as he succumbed to his heat.

 

* * *

 

 “Oi, brat, you – Fuck!” Levi swore vehemently as the scent hit him. Eren had taken the week off as a precautionary measure for his heat. Neither of them had known exactly when it was going to hit, only that it would. They weren’t sure if others would be affected, but hell would easily break loose if the omega’s heat hit when Eren was in the office.

At least the precautions had been worth it. It would have been impossible to stop him if Eren’s heat had been triggered in the office. His inner alpha was already howling in excitement with how close his mate was and how they were utterly alone. Just a little further and he would be able to lay hands on that smooth skin and claim his omega.

There was an uncomfortable niggle that something was _different_ the moment that Levi had woken up in the morning. After attempts to pinpoint the source were unsuccessful, he had decided to ignore the sensation and return to his normal routine. Even then, it had been more difficult to concentrate on work and even his usual black tea didn’t alleviate the strange tension thrumming through his body. For some reason, his mind kept straying and some instinct in Levi told him to return home, but it had been impossible to determine what was different about today changed until he smelled the scent of Eren’s heat all over the apartment.

It was dangerous for the both of them. Of course, Levi could break all the ground rules they had set – namely, to avoid contact during Eren’s heat – but that would have severe repercussions. If this was what the brat smelled like while using suppressants, shit would fly if Eren had gone to work or to a hotel and waited it out. The alpha inside him would murder anyone else who got close. Just the thought of another _person_ approaching his mate made his hackles rise.

Levi knew he had good self-control and was able to regulate his emotions without much effort, but those skills flew out the window the moment he smelled the intoxicating, sensual scent of his mate. He couldn’t help the feral growl that escaped as his legs made a beeline towards the bedroom, not even caring to remove his shoes, mouth salivating at the prospect of biting into that smooth column of flesh and marking his omega.

“Hah, Le-vi…!” Eren’s broken cry came from the other side of the door and his inner alpha demanded him to break the barrier down and claim his mate. The omega’s scent was irresistible. An intoxicating blend of aged port and honey with just a hint of cinnamon. Levi could almost taste the heavenly smell on his palate.

It brought back all memories of their wedding night. The suppressants must have been working then as Eren hadn’t emanated such a delicious scent back then. Or perhaps Levi couldn’t remember. Most of it was vague in his memory, but smelling the scent of his mate brought it all back. His mouth watered with the need to bite into that tanned column of smooth flesh. His pants were far too tight and Levi could just imagine those cheeks flushed with exertion and glassy green orbs staring back at him. Thighs covered in slick as he claimed his mate. Those needy whimpers and breathy moans echoed dimly in his mind, blending with the ones on the other side of the room.

It did not help that he could easily picture Eren leaning facedown into the pillows, writhing and gasping with need as the omega plunged his fingers into his leaking honey. Or perhaps his mate was on his back, legs outstretched, offering him the perfect view of the omega’s body, as he stroked himself in tandem with the fingers in his ass. Levi groaned at the thought, shaking his head to wipe the images away.

“Levi…?” Eren’s broken voice came to him through the locked door. The omega must have caught a whiff of his scent. Eren sounded completely wrecked and all Levi wanted to do was rush inside and relieve the omega. The organ between his legs was at full-mast, straining against his pants, demanding to be set free. “Alpha…?”

Swallowing heavily, Levi’s hand hovered over the doorknob, ready to burst in and claim what was his. Just one twist and one push until he could lay eyes and hands on the omega. It was so fucking tempting.

But no matter what the thing between his legs desired, Levi wasn’t a beast. Eren wouldn’t forgive him, and he certainly would not forgive himself after the pheromone rush had worn off. They were only barely passing as roommates right now. Given how the omega had stopped calling out for him, Eren wasn’t completely certain he was there; right now, he could walk away and they would both leave with their minds and bodies intact.

Too busy internally warring with himself, his hand moved without him knowing. Feeling the cool metal brush against his skin, Levi flinched back as though scalded. He wasn’t an animal; he was a man. If on the off chance Eren had left it unlocked, there would be no barrier stopping him from giving in to his primal instincts. It had been far too long since he had had sex. Between the legal fiasco, being married, and helping with Erwin’s startup, sex was the furthest thing on his mind. But the rational side of him was rapidly losing ground to baser needs.

Balling his hands into fists, Levi dug his fingers into his palm, feeling the pain register in his mind. It didn’t relieve the throbbing in his pants, but it did help him regain his focus a little. It was difficult to rein in his alpha instincts to claim, to mark, and to mate. Banging his forehead against the door, Levi breathed slowly, trying to distract himself from thinking what was on the other side. It was a near impossible task knowing that _his_ omega was just on the other side. One that would accept his embrace quite readily.

Fuck. This was neither the time nor place for screwing around. He had returned home to grab some documents not act like hormonal alpha who’s only thought was sticking his dick where it didn’t belong. Levi knew he had more self control than that. Eren might readily receive him due to the heat, but the conversation they had a few days ago made it known in no uncertain terms that Eren had expected to spend his heat alone. As much as Levi respected the omega’s decision, his body couldn’t help but want to take what was rightfully his.

Breathing deeply, Levi desperately tried to calm himself down, but each lungful of air was stained with the intoxicating fragrance that Eren was exuding just for him. The reminder that the scent was for _him_ , and him alone, almost sent Levi over the edge, but he forced himself to clench his fists harder and turn away.

Mechanically, it was so very difficult to move one foot in front of the next and make his way into his office. Eren was just there. Oh, so close to him and his for the taking.

By the time Levi had made his way into his office, his skin was covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Those fifteen or so feet along the hallway had never seemed so far away. Stumbling the remaining few feet to his desk, it was becoming more and more difficult to keep a clear head with Eren’s scent wrapped around him and those delectable whimpers echoing in his ears. Hands shaking, Levi couldn’t care more about the papers that fell onto the ground as he quickly rummaged through his things. Grabbing the infernal document, his vision was blurry as he looked it over. Shoving it into his briefcase after he had ascertained it was the right document, Levi staggered out of his office, racing through the front door before he could make a mistake and cross the line he was unwilling to cross.

Rapidly hitting the button for the elevator, he tried to get his ragged breathing under control. It was better now since Eren’s scent wasn’t so strong, but his legs were still trembling as he entered the metal cage. Leaning against the walls of the metal box, which was something he would never do without ample reason, he forced himself to breathe in an out at regular intervals, watching as the blinking lights changed.

Relieved that he had gotten to the parking lot uninterrupted, Levi rushed out of the elevator and towards his car. If someone else had gotten on they would have been able to see the raging boner he had in his pants. Pulling the door open, he shoved himself inside the vehicle, slamming the door shut.

Clutching the steering wheel, he willed the erection to die down, but his mind was inundated with the smells and scents from earlier. Levi knew he would regret it later, but it was impossible to forget what he had just experienced. Quickly undoing his belt, he freed his aching member from its confines. With imagination fueling his mind, it didn’t take much for him to rub one out. Groaning softly in the dark recesses of his car, Levi cleaned up the disgusting remnants of his action, hoping that he would be able to finally concentrate on work.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is structured a little differently. It's broken into paired sections of both Eren & Levi together, since it didn't flow as nicely with only one of their POVs.
> 
> * * *

Hearing the sound of a door closing, Levi sighed as he put the papers back down on the desk. He had been uncharacteristically unproductive for the last few days. It had been a week since Eren’s heat ended and he still couldn’t forget the sights and smells of his omega. The reminders were all over the apartment. Even bleach hadn’t helped clear away the intoxicating scent.

It was a miracle he could get any work done. Levi’s mind was in utter chaos. Even the smallest reminder of Eren destroyed his concentration.

The alpha couldn’t help but remember the smell of Eren’s heat on his tongue. The dull clock ticking didn’t mask the small whimpers echoing in his mind. Every time he blinked, he was haunted by the image of Eren’s face contorting in need as the omega begged him.

He had crashed in the office’s break room during Eren’s heat. Anywhere else and he wouldn’t have been able to block out his memories. Burying himself in work hadn’t completely succeeded in taking Levi’s mind off things, but it had worked to some extent. At least with the upcoming deadline and shitheads at work mulling about, he couldn’t fully let his mind wander towards the more pleasurable torment.

Eren had texted him after his heat had broken and things had been awkward between them ever since. And the brunet’s avoidance of him certainly wasn’t helping. It had the opposite effect in fact.

Instead of making it easier to forget, all it made Levi do was want to pull the omega closer to him until they were pressed up next to each other, such as when they shared a bed. Maybe he should have stayed at in the office again. At least he wouldn’t have to deal with the walking, breathing temptation less than a couple feet away.

“Fuck.” He muttered to himself. Rubbing his face with his hands, Levi groaned once more. What was becoming of him? He had never had to deal with such distractions until Eren Yeager came into his life.

What he needed was a deep cleaning of the entire apartment _and_ of his own mind otherwise he would never be able to focus again. He knew the omega was somewhere in the apartment, so maybe Eren would stop avoiding him this way as well.

  

“Oi brat, are you busy?”

It was unusual to see Levi emerge from his office, casually dressed, and ask him anything. Their paths rarely crossed in the morning since his husband tended to be buried in work by the time he had woken up. Sometimes, when Levi was working at home and Eren didn’t have any meetings with friends, he would catch sight of Levi grabbing tea or whatever was leftover in the fridge, but they generally tended to keep to themselves unless he took the initiative to make food and invite his husband to have some.

“Umm… no?” Eren looked up from the piece of toast he had been spreading with butter.

It was nearly impossible to face Levi without turning red after his heat. Compared to his previous heats, it had been impossible to forego taking himself from behind with his fingers after smelling the alpha’s scent all around him. It was the most intense heat he had had yet. The sheets were completely soiled and his scent was spread throughout the apartment. At some point, Eren was almost certain that his alpha had been home, but everything during those hours had been such a blur, that he couldn’t be quite sure of anything.

Levi had asked a few pointed questions, inquiring after his health, but had dropped the topic altogether after making sure he was okay. Levi’s apathy made the process less nerve-wracking, but not enough to completely forget what had occurred. Worse yet, after having gone through his heat and masturbated on the bed, it was impossible to sleep without remembering everything that had conspired.

Just this morning, he had lain in bed for half an hour after waking up wondering how he was going to face the alpha. The last few weekdays had been easier since it was a matter of getting up and going to work. But Eren didn’t have anything planned for this Saturday. On other weeks, he would have made plans to go out or gone out in spite of them, but Eren was a little too exhausted from work.

“Good, you can help me clean. This place is filthy.”

“Okay,” Eren grimaced internally, remembering the brutal cleaning days he had been part of when they had first moved in. The apartment wasn’t that dirty – they had done a deep cleaning after the heat – but the older man had _insane_ standards. “Let finish breakfast first.”

A grunt was all he got as Levi walked towards the supply closet.

 

* * *

 

Wiping down the cabinets in the kitchen, Levi felt the simple, monotonous routine of cleaning slowly ease his mind. Had it been anyone else, he would not have asked them to clean. But Eren did the best job out of everyone he had known; even the cleaning staff Kenny had hired didn’t come close. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough that he didn’t need to ask the brunet to redo it.

A small thud followed by Eren mumbling a few choice words from the living room caught his attention. “Everything okay, Yeager?” The brat better not have tripped and made a bigger mess.

“Yes, don’t worry about it!”

Unable to help it, Levi turned towards the source of the sound. That was his first mistake.

Instead of finding himself relaxing from the mind-numbing exercise, all he could do was stare. Stare at the delicious way Eren bent over searching for something. Levi’s eyes were irrevocably drawn to the delightful curve of Eren’s backside as the brat shifted, lowering his head.

His second mistake was staring for too long. The throbbing in his pants only got worse as he watched Eren get on all fours, searching beneath the shelves, for whatever it was. Eren wasn’t even aware of being watched, sticking his plush bottom out and presenting himself. Levi could envision himself bending his mate over and taking him in that exact position over and over again.

His third mistake was being caught staring.

After a quick minute, Eren stood back up with a relieved look on his face. Levi must have made a sound as green eyes turned towards him. “Levi? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, just making sure you were doing your job.” The lie didn’t sound believable to Levi’s ears, but at least Eren bought it. He would never live it down if Eren knew he was staring at his ass.

“You don’t need to watch over my shoulders the entire time, jeez.” The annoyed flush on Eren’s face caught his attention. If Levi hadn’t known any better, he would have bet a hundred bucks that that face would be very similar to the one the omega sported during sex.

Turning away, Levi hid a small groan. He was going insane.

Shit, this wasn’t working the way it was supposed to. Instead of cleaning being a cathartic exercise, it was rapidly becoming one in which Levi’s mind conjured up as many ways as possible to fuck his omega. He really needed Eren in a different room where he wouldn’t see or be tempted to fuck the brat into oblivion.

 

“Oi, Yeager, come over here for a sec.” Levi’s voice called out.

“Levi? What is it?”

“I can’t reach above the fridge.”

“You want me to wipe the top of the fridge?” Eren shot a look of disbelief at the man. He knew Levi had a crazy clean streak, but he had never heard of anyone cleaning the top of the fridge. Hell, Eren didn’t even think he had even seen the top of a fridge before aside from on internet pictures or television commercials. “No one does that.”

“Are you deaf or something, brat? Isn’t that what I just said? And do you have any clue how fucking disgusting it gets?”

“You know, if you’re going to ask someone to do something, you should be nicer when asking, Levi.” He made no movement to move, crossing his arms defiantly instead.

“Fine, can you _please_ help me clean the fucking top of the fridge, brat?” Eren had to chuckle at the impolite manner in which Levi said ‘please.’ The stress in the question only made it come out that much more sarcastically. It was clear that his husband was unhappy with the situation.

“Fine, boss. Hand it over here.” Eren grumbled, grabbing the cloth Levi held out and shifted the chair so he could access whatever it was on top of the fridge. Unless he really wanted to anger the dark-haired male, that was about as polite as Levi would get. At least the man had said please, even if Levi had still called him a brat. Eren had long since lost the urge to argue with Levi when it came to cleaning. The alpha was even more stubborn than he was and refused to compromise when it came to how clean things needed to be. If something wasn’t done right, Levi wouldn’t stop until it was considered clean according to his standards. Just the barest hint of dust would set him off. There were things that Eren would argue with Levi about, but cleaning was not one of them.

Standing on the chair, he was barely able to reach to the other end of the fridge; the appliance was larger than other ones Eren had seen before. A thin layer of dust had settled on the top, however, it wasn’t as filthy as he had imagined. He had seen how things which hadn’t cleaned could get strangely stick and dusty and the fridge had not reached that state yet. Someone must have cleaned it at one point or another. “How did you even clean this thing before I came along?”

“I used the stepladder.”

“Oh.” Eren remembered the small stepladder currently occupying the balcony. Without a garden or lawn, he had appropriated it to elevate the herb pots and better expose them to the sun. “My bad.”

“Tch, whatever. I’m going to go start on the bathroom. Just keep an eye out on the floor; it’s still damp.”

“Yeah, sure.” He was relieved that he wouldn’t have to do the bathroom this week. Last time he had been on his hands and knees scrubbing until every groove was white. It had taken him an hour just to finish the bathroom and his palms turned red by the end of it. Most _normal_ people would be fine with a decent mopping and wiping off of the critical areas, but not his husband. Levi’s standards were impossibly high. Routine cleanings for Levi were the same as deep cleaning for the rest of the world. It wasn’t uncommon to find the bathroom and kitchen reeking of bleach and other cleaning agents for at least the next couple of hours.

After five of so minutes of wiping and making sure there wasn’t even one grey streak on the surface – Levi would get him to redo it otherwise – Eren hopped off the chair. Maybe it was exhaustion or maybe it was inattention, but his heel didn’t hit the floor right as he took a step. Immediately throwing his arms out, he fell forwarded, feeling a streak of pain shoot up his right arm as he did.

 

* * *

 

Four odd hours and a trip to the hospital later, Eren found himself staring into the fridge and wondering what he was going to do with the pizza dough he had made night. His slip on the kitchen floor had resulted in a minor sprain, meaning that there was no possibility of being able to use it today. It wasn’t a major injury, but they had told him to refrain from using his right hand and keeping any weight off it as much as possible. Even if he could roll it out, his wrist still throbbed each time he moved it. Plus, the cast prevented him from bending it too much.

It left Eren in a little bind of what to do with the pizza dough.

The original plan, sans injury, was making pizza today. Spreading pesto and sprinkling toppings was easy, but he wouldn’t be able to knead or roll the dough with his only his left hand. And lifting the pizza stone would also be difficult.

“Oi, what are you looking at, brat?”

“Nothing.” Eren sighed as he heard the footsteps near. Levi had been kind enough to drive him to the ER and get his wrist checked out, but relying on his husband left a bad taste in Eren’s mouth. It was bad enough he would either have to taxi or ask for a ride there – the buses took over an hour from where they lived – for the next couple of weeks for the follow up visits. Hell, he would probably need Levi’s help getting to work as well.

“You’re not seriously planning on making pizza are you?” Levi made his disapproval quite clear as he slammed the fridge shut in his face, making his way to the cabinet for tea.

“But if it doesn’t get used, it’ll go bad.”

“Tch, just toss it out and buy it again then.”

“That’s a waste of perfectly good pizza dough!” He protested, watching his husband move around refilling the kettle and flicking the switch to boil the water.

“What do you want to do with it then?”

“Hmm…” That was a good question. Giving it away to a neighbor would be weird, and he didn’t know his neighbors, nor did Eren feel close enough to any of his work friends to give them pizza dough last minute. But watching Levi putter around the area gave him an idea. “Why don’t you help me make it then?”

“Why the fuck would I do that?” The alpha snapped back.

“C’mon Levi… it’s a once in the lifetime favor!” He was laying it on thick, but Eren really hated the prospect of seeing perfectly good food go to waste.

“No.”

“Please…”

“No.”

“Please… I’ll help you clean the entire apartment when my wrist heals?” Grey eyes narrowed in interest at the sound of cleaning. “I’ll even wipe the top of fridge and deal with any hard to reach places if you help me!”

“Why the fuck are you going so far for such a small thing?”

“My mom taught me never to waste food when I was younger. And after watching this documentary online about the amount of food we throw out as country, I really took it to heart.” There was a pregnant pause as Levi turned to pour hot water into his tea. When they were face to face once more, Eren sighed in defeat seeing the negative expression on Levi’s face. “Fine, if you don’t want to, I guess we can throw it out and order take out then.” He opened the fridge, reaching for the small white plastic-wrapped ball of dough.

Before Eren could take the ten or so steps to toss it out, it was snatched out of his hand. “Tch, I’ll do it. But after you’re healed, you’re on toilet cleaning duty for a week.”

“Yes, sir!” He almost saluted, beaming at the thought that it wouldn’t go to waste. Cleaning the toilets would be something of a pain, but his having to do it was so far in the future, it really didn’t register. Perhaps, if he tried hard enough, he could teach Levi how to cook!

“So what the fuck am I supposed to do with this thing?” Levi flipped the ball of dough in his hand, looking at it as if it was some unknown entity.

“Well…” Eren began rattling instructions watching the scowl on Levi’s face grow.

  

“What the fuck are you laughing at, brat?” He glared at Eren who was unsuccessful in hiding his laughter. The shitty brat was overseeing his pizza-making. Levi didn’t have much to go on, but it was going fairly well. It was at least it better than the godforsaken onions, which was all that mattered. The flour particles which had floated fuck knows where were going to be a bitch to clean and the kitchen would need another deep cleaning, but at least it didn’t sting his eyes.

“Nothing…” Levi narrowed the eyes as the brat continued to smile innocently at him. There was something seriously messed up in Eren’s head or maybe he had a few screws loose up there. The fall _could_ have done more than sprain Eren’s wrist. Shaking his head, Levi’s returned to working on the stupid fucking pizza dough. Not a minute later, the giggling stared up again.

“Spit it out, Yeager.” Slapping the irregular elliptical disk of dough onto the table, Levi wiped his brow with his forearm. They could have just bought some premade frozen pizza and stuck it in the oven, but the stupid brat wanted to use the fucking dough sitting in the fridge. Had the omega listened to his warning and not slipped and fell, Levi would not have been stuck playing housewife in the god damn kitchen.

“Levi! Hah, oh my god! Koff, koff, hah, hah...”

“Yeager…” He scowled in warning.

“Le-Levi,” Eren was bent forward, clutching his stomach and struggling to speak. “It-it’s just that you have flour all over your face.”

“Tch, just shut the hell up or go elsewhere, brat.” Levi scowled. The fucking white powder was getting all over the freshly cleaned counters, walls, _and_ floor. Whoever had come up with the idea that cooking was fun was sorely mistaken. Levi was tempted to toss it away and order in, but it would be a waste and Eren had insisted on having pizza. The brat mentioned something about not having had it for nearly a month and was dying from its absence. Stupid overdramatic brat.

“But I thought you needed instructions?” Eren’s voice was a little too whimsical and high-pitched to be genuine. Unfortunately, the brat had a point. There was no way he was going to touch anything else without cleaning up, so searching up directions was impossible.

Turning back to the piece of shit dough that was turning out to be as vexing as the fucking onion, he slammed it on the table. “Fuck you, brat.”

 

* * *

 

“Fuck…!” The curse was muffled as Eren struggled to lift his shirt over his head. If he had known he was going to sprain his wrist, he would have worn something different when cleaning. It was bad enough that Levi had to do the cooking and drive him around – the cooking had been quite amusing to watch though – but he _loathed_ the prospect of asking for help changing his clothes or showering.

Eren struggled with it a bit more, but he eventually conceded defeat against his clothes. Sitting back down, he pulled his shirt back so he wouldn’t be half naked and unable to see. He _really_ did not want to ask for help. No doubt Levi would somehow get his retribution for the incident with the flour. Slapping himself lightly on the face with his good hand, he gathered his courage.

“Hey Levi!” There was no reply. He knew Levi hated being interrupted during work, but he had no other option except sleep with his clothes on; and of the two choices, he would rather risk the former. Making his way to the bedroom door, Eren popped it open and tried again. “Levi?”

A moment later, Levi popped out of the office with a scowl on his face. “What?”

“Err… can you help me with my clothes?” Eren unsuccessfully fought back the crimson that blossomed on his face.

There was a small pause as Levi looked him up and down. “What the fuck is wrong with your clothes?”

“I-I… can’t take them off.”

“So you need my help taking them off.” The words came out more as a statement of fact than question. Ducking his head at Levi’s flat stare, Eren nodded shyly.

“Fine.”

 

Cocking his head, Levi trailed Eren back to the bedroom. He hadn’t realized the brat would need help stripping, so it was still taking his mind a little time to catch up to what was going to happen. Tampering down his inner alpha’s excitement at the prospect of being to lay his hands on his mate, he crossed his arms.

“Arms down and face me, Yeager.” Deftly undoing the buttons on Eren’s shirt, Levi felt a little bit of his self-control slip away each time one of those plastic pieces slipped through its corresponding hole. All he wanted to do was throw Eren onto the bed and pounce on the omega. But that wasn’t what he was here for.

“Arms up.”

Pulling off Eren’s shirt, Levi couldn’t help but stare hungrily as caramel skin was slowly revealed. It was a difficult battle not to run his hands and mouth over the landscape of perfection right in front of him. His mouth salivated at the idea of covering his mate with numerous bites and love marks.

“Need help with the pants as well?” His breathing was ragged as he forced out the words. Eren’s only reply was a small sound of acquiescence accompanied with a tiny nod. The omega’s face was red like an apple. Bright green eyes darted everywhere around the room, except him, as the brat tried avoiding his gaze.

Neither of them spoke and the only sounds were the rustle of clothing as he undid the belt and tugged it off. The omega’s breathing grew faster and shallower every second, picking up in volume as it did. Levi looked up to check if everything was fine, but found his attention immediately drawn by the rise and fall of Eren’s chest to a pair flat almond-colored discs. His fingers itched to pinch and play with those delectable nubs while his omega rode him. In his distant memory, Levi recalled Eren’s nipples being one of his more sensitive spots.

“Umm… Levi?” The question came out as a timid whisper.

“What?”

“What’s wrong?”

Blinking, it took Levi a moment to realize his hands had stopped. “Nothing.” He quickly popped the button of Eren’s jeans and tugged the denim down.

When he was done, they stood there, not meeting each other’s gaze. He was too preoccupied with the wicked thoughts invading his mind. And Eren was still too embarrassed to look at him.

“Do you need me to help you with that too?” He pointed at the remaining article of clothing the omega had on. Eren’s eyes followed his and widened immediately.

“No! Umm… thank you!” The omega dashed into the bedroom bathroom without a further glance.

“Fuck.” Levi breathed for the hundredth time that day, inhaling the lingering sweet essence of his mate.

He needed alcohol. And _lots_ of it.

Running a hand through his hair, Levi let out a deep breath. It had been difficult enough dealing with the sight and smell of his mate, but to have his hands on Eren’s soft skin and not be able to do anything more was sheer bloody torture. It was like someone was playing a cosmic joke on him. Thankfully, it had been a short enough interaction, otherwise his bottom half would have stirred to life, and that would have made everything even more awkward.

Eyeing the articles of clothing on the floor, he pivoted and walked out the bedroom. Normally he would have told Eren off or put them away, but Levi didn’t trust himself with anything which too strongly reminded him of the omega.

“Where the fuck is the good stuff again?” Levi grumbled, heading for the liquor cabinet. It was going to be a _long_ couple of weeks.


	16. Chapter 16

“Dude… I can’t believe you haven’t seen her newest vid! The things she was doing with her mouth. Man…”

“That good?”

“Yeah.”

“Damn. Gimme the deets!”

Eren frowned as voices streamed down the hall. The loud boisterous one was clearly Jean. And the other voice was Connie’s. Normally, it was impossible to make out specific conversations when everyone was there, but he had to be in an hour earlier to get something done for a meeting later. It was the only reason he would sacrifice sleep to spend more time with the horseface.

He had met Jean on the first day of work and even after more than five months, they still didn’t get along. Being forced to sit next to the long-faced idiot only made things worse. If Jean wasn’t blathering on about some girl he wanted to bang, he was trying to get Eren to hook him up with Mikasa. Levi’s cousin had dropped by once to see Levi and greeted Eren in the process. The end result of that short conversation was Jean being an idiot and asking him for her number.

“Okay, well y’know how she’s this tiny blond chick?”

“Yeah.”

“Well her hand’s tiny compared to the guy she’s blowing! He’s got to be at least twice her size and she’s just taking the whole thing in.”

“Seriously?”

“And there’s this scene where she’s with these two guys–”

“Hey Connie, horseface.” Eren interrupted, nodding to his cubicle mates. His part of the office was arranged in a cross-shape such that there were twelve people in each corner, three people in every cell, and each person had their own workstation. “What were you guys talking about?”

Connie waved to him, but any words were covered by Jean’s reply. “Nothing you would be interested in, suicidal bastard.”

He had gotten the nickname from Jean after he had volunteered to deliver documents (and tea, which he made before going) to Levi. Levi’s ‘fuck-you’ attitude had garnered negative attention, particularly after one of the new hires – they were all fairly new though – had made an accounting mistake and Levi had chewed him out for it. Since then, everyone generally steered clear of Levi unless they were forced to. Or had a death wish. But after working and living with Levi for over nine months, Eren was accustomed to his husband’s behavior and didn’t really fear him anymore.

“Why’s that?” Eren countered automatically.

“Aren’t you already married?” Their marriage was public knowledge, but neither of them had ever announced it in work. They certainly did not act like a married couple aside from sharing an apartment – which was out of necessity – and wearing their wedding bands. Strangely, despite the splash his wedding with Levi made, many did not associate him with being Levi’s husband. Of course, Levi hated posing for photos and Eren had not bothered to legally change his surname. “Why would you need porn?”

“P-porn?” he spluttered.

“What? Never watched porn before, Yeager?” Jean goaded, rummaging his bag and pulling out a DVD. His eyes bulged at the racy scenes shown on the cover.

“Shut up and put that away, Jean!” Red-faced and blushing, Eren grabbed the disc and tried to shove it back where belonged. Levi had dropped him off to park the vehicle and could show up any time now. Arriving early had always been Levi’s routine, and after his accident, it had also been part of Eren’s. He was thankfully completely healed now, but Levi had continued to drive the two of them to work. His husband had argued it was more fuel and money efficient, and it was convenient not having to hunt for parking. “What if someone sees you with that?!”

As if on cue, one could hear the ding of the elevator announcing the newest arrival on their floor. The horseface, being a horseface, didn’t seem to realize that and continued his goading. “What are you, Eren, a virgin?”

“No!”

“Ha! I bet Yeager’s never watched porn before!” The horse-faced bastard triumphantly announced to Connie.

“Really?” Connie chimed.

“No!” Eren retorted vehemently. Compared to Jean, he certainly had not watched as _much_ of it. He had delved into a little, particularly after being told he was going to be hitched to Levi, but it was nerve-wracking doing at home with his dad around. “Fuck you, Kirstein.”

“Here I’ll let you borrow it.” Eren suddenly found the cursed object forced into his hands once more. “Let me know what you think of it.”

Sharp staccato footsteps grew louder as someone walked towards them and Eren could feel his demise drawing close. Not knowing what to do, he stuffed it into the nearest thing able to conceal such an object, which happened to be his laptop bag. Thankfully, it was out of sight by the time a familiar dark-haired face appeared. Scowling, of course.

“I thought you brats were supposed to be working, not fucking around.” A flash of panic crossed both Jean and Connie’s faces as they whirled around and returned to their desks. “You too, Yeager.”

“Yes, sir.” There was a grunt as Levi acknowledged him and strolled off. Heart furiously pounding at almost getting caught, Eren sat down and booted up his computer.

 

“Ahnn! Right there! Yeah!”

Eyeing the actors onscreen, Eren found it a little strange watching two males and females having sex. It was strange seeing two penises fitting inside another person. It must have been Jean’s fetish, since it was the stupid horseface’s idea to loan him the disc in the first place.

Eren _was_ curious as he had never seen a threesome before. And the first few seconds were definitely shocking. The people on screen were admittedly very attractive, but there something missing. It was all physical; there were no tender words or anything. Just a lot of bodies moving and a little _too_ much moaning. And it seemed even more detached than what he had experienced.

When he pictured doing it with someone else, the only thing that came to mind were the heat-induced fantasies of being with Levi. Eren could easily imagine dark silvery eyes boring into his and the scent of the alpha as their bodies moved together.

Having been glued hipbone to hipbone with his mate last month while recovering from the sprain did not help. All it did was make it that much easier to recall Levi’s scent. The feel of those hands stripping him. And the heated glances Levi had sent him. The alpha’s gaze was almost _hungry_ each time he had helped Eren with his clothes.

Shutting his eyes, he tried to dredge up memories of his wedding night and how sex felt. Freeing his hardening erection, Eren palmed himself, trying to recall all the scents and pleasurable sensations he had once experienced, and those he had fantasized about. In his mind’s eye, Eren imagined it was Levi’s hand on his dick and voice in his ears. Running a hand to his chest, he plucked his nipples and began to stroke himself harder, feeling slick begin to build. It was almost so real he could actually smell the alpha next to him.

“Nghh…”

Before he could get too absorbed in his fantasy, the front door slammed shut and he heard footsteps enter the apartment. Startled from the sound, Eren paled as he realized what had just happened. Releasing his erection, he hastily tidied himself up and left his room to greet his husband before Levi could figure out what he was doing. “Levi! Wh-what are you doing here?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I live here, brat.” The alpha gave him a strange look as though he had lost his mind.

“Bu-but… I thought you had a meeting?”

“It got cancelled.” Levi shot him a look of fierce disapproval as he grabbed a hook to hang his coat. “What the hell were you up to? Your clothes look like shit.”

“Oh. I was just in the middle of–” Hastily smoothing down his clothes to look more presentable, Eren froze when he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to pause or mute the video. _Shit._ Fucking Jean and his stupid fucking CD. He was going to slowly and painfully dismember the stupid horse-faced bastard tomorrow.

“You were saying…?”

“Err…” Eren stumbled over his own tongue, unable to come up with a halfway plausible excuse in the face of Levi’s skepticism. The alpha wasn’t stupid and would be able to scent his arousal easily. It wouldn’t be difficult to put two and two together. Before Eren could explain everything, a loud _female_ moan pierced the air.

“Ahhnnn!”

Fuck! Levi hadn’t been at home earlier and he had neglected to put headphones on.

“What is that?” Hands frozen in midair, Levi’s silvered eyes immediately narrowed on him. The alpha’s nose twitched as though scenting the air for a stranger. “You haven’t invited anyone here have you?”

“What? N-No! It-it’s just… umm…”

“Oh my god, yes!” Another cry rang out from the damn video. “Right there!”

Eren blanched as Levi smirked, realizing what he had been up to. How was he going to get himself out of the rabbit hole he had dug himself into? Levi wasn’t supposed to get back for another hour at least. His husband never returned home by five; always having some other meeting or more paperwork to complete. “Are you watching porn, brat?”

“Uhh… it’s just something Jean gave me…”

The whole thing was an exercise in futility. Eren wanted to bury himself six-feet under. If it wasn’t embarrassing enough to be caught with his hands down his pants, it was just as bad to be caught watching porn by his husband. What would Levi think?

 

* * *

 

“Is that so…”

It was so easy to see how nervous Eren was, hesitating in his speech, vibrant green eyes darting to his and then retreating the moment Levi caught him. Levi found it more difficult than one might suspect to pull his eyes away at the sight of the brunet nibbling on his bottom lip. Even though he loathed thinking it, the brat was adorable with a dusting of pink on his cheeks in a shitty, stubborn brat sort of way.

The knowledge that his omega had been touching himself moments ago, reminded Levi of the time he had caught Eren in the middle of his heat a month and a half ago. He had never wanted to have sex with anyone else more than he wanted to do it with Eren that time. It had been hell walking away that day, but forgetting the sounds and smells was another matter entirely. Since then, Levi had found it increasingly difficult to share a bed with Eren, knowing it was the same place Eren had masturbated to him and how readily available his mate was. His mind was plagued with dreams of the omega moaning and begging for him. Levi had woken up to a raging boner multiple times feeling Eren pressed up against him, that curved bottom flush against his crotch.

Seeing _and_ smelling Eren now only served to remind him of the fact. The sweet scent of arousal around his mate told Levi everything he needed to know about how omega. Watching Eren stand there like a blushing virgin with his pheromones wafting around him was like tempting the devil. It called upon the alpha’s instinctual need to claim and protect.

There was only one small problem: he was supposed to be the one arousing the omega, not some damn video.

Levi hadn’t slept with anyone since their wedding night, which had been months ago, and was strangely put-off over the fact that Eren was masturbating to porn without his knowledge. Particularly since he could give Eren everything the omega wanted… and more.

It wasn’t that Levi didn’t enjoy sex; it was just that every time he had, his uncle had known about it. Kenny would scold him if his partner wasn’t suitable, there was a risk of being mated, and gods forbid the news tabloids found out about it. Then there were the partners the bastard had lined up for him, whiny sniveling shits who didn’t care about Levi Ackerman, but only how to get into his uncle’s pockets and good graces. And the moment any of his partners found out his identity, their behavior changed; it was no longer about sex, but about how they could somehow make use of him. Some had tried to extort money, others had attempted to use him as some social stepladder, and there were also a few who tried to entrap him into marriage. None of them saw the real him.

Eren was different. It wasn’t just that he didn’t have to worry about all those hidden motivations others had on his money or name, but there was something about Eren himself that was difficult to ignore. Levi found himself drawn to the pair of clear green eyes which always reflected what the omega was thinking and feeling. They were like the small rock pools formed at the beach, clear, reflective, and unique. It was refreshing seeing anyone wearing their emotions so openly.

When the brat was angry, one could see the fire in those eyes, crackling with rage. When Eren was embarrassed, a flush would rise up and spread along his face, like the first blush of youth. And there was a sparkle in those eyes and liveliness in that almost contagious smile during those all too few instances his mate had exhibited pure unbridled joy. Everything about Eren was genuine. Instead of deceit and lies, there was a naïve innocence to the omega’s actions that made Levi’s inner alpha that much more possessive of his mate.

Between the guileless nature and burning fire behind Eren’s eyes, there was just something about the stubborn brat which made all the structure in his life crumble. That Eren showered once each and day and was clean only elevated him slightly higher in Levi’s estimation.

Taking his time, Levi tried deciding how best to proceed. Eren was never predictable and he had no idea how the omega would react. On one hand, he didn’t want to scare the brat away, but on the other, it was impossible to erase those erotic moans and the intoxicating scent of his mate when Eren had gone into heat a few weeks back. Knowing that the slick between the omega’s legs was just for him made it that much more difficult to resist.

Deciding to take a gamble, Levi grabbed his bag and sauntered into the house with a confident, slow gait. Stepping nearer to Eren than usual, he leaned up and whispered hotly against the omega’s ear. “You know you could always ask for my help, Yeager. The bed does fit _two_ people.”

 

* * *

 

Shifting for the umpteenth time, Eren fought to sit still and eat his food. If he didn’t know better, Levi was purposely trying to seduce him. Either that or embarrass the hell out of him. The indomitable man was taking his time humming after every forkful of pasta and staring at Eren with those glowing silver orbs in a way that almost looked predatory. It was sheer torture sitting through dinner.

And those words Levi had whispered into his ears… he had never heard such a sound before. Eren had never known that Levi could make such a sound. In his state of heightened longing from being left unfulfilled, it had taken him more than a little effort to prevent his knees from buckling after hearing that low, masculine purr right next to him. The heated breath ghosting over his ear had left a trail of hot shivers on his skin. He had almost moaned, slicking further from the thought of sex with his mate.

But the truth of those words was another matter entirely. It had taken Eren more than a few seconds to process what Levi said and make sure he hadn’t misheard. Maybe it was just his dick thinking, but the sexual innuendo of Levi’s intended form of _help_ was obvious.

Eren couldn’t believe the alpha had uttered such words. Levi wasn’t the type of person to proposition anyone for sex nor had his husband ever expressed any interest in him in _that_ way before. The closest had been a few grunts of praise for his tea, cooking, or cleaning, but nothing more than that. Of course there were those hungry stares while Levi had stripped him or the erection pressing against him some mornings, but suddenly being the recipient of such a suggestive statement was unnerving. It was entirely possible that Levi was just screwing with him. Levi _had_ a penchant for shit jokes after all.

But Eren couldn’t help but think that his mate wasn’t joking when he had said such a thing. The ability for humor was even coded in Levi’s genes.

However, whether it was out of sheer curiosity or physical desire, he couldn’t help but chase the thought down the rabbit hole. The heated fantasies he had imagined earlier whirred back to life, the throbbing need in his lower body demanding attention yet again. Eren knew full well that curiosity killed the cat, but it was impossible _not_ to wonder what Levi meant. Was he baiting him? Or was Levi serious?

By the time he was finished dinner, Eren’s mind had made the decision up for him. There was a chance Levi was playing a joke on him, but Eren definitely knew he would regret it if he didn’t act on it. At least this way he could sleep without the burning curiosity in his gut.

“Umm…” He opened his mouth, wordlessly, wondering how to phrase it properly. “So, err… Levi, what did you mean by it earlier?”

“Hmm?” Levi didn’t look up as he picked up his cup. “Mind clarifying what you mean, Yeager?”

“You know when you came back and asked me what I was doing, and umm… then there were those noises, and then you said you could help…” The whole thing came out in a rush of verbal diarrhea. Wrangling his hands, his faced burned with embarrassment. “So… umm… yeah.” Eren finished lamely, not daring to look his husband in the eyes.

When there was no response, he finally peeked up. Eren could see a twinkle in Levi’s patently flat expression as he took a sip of tea. The damnable jerk was feigning ignorance and watching him fidget under the scrutiny!

Fuming, he turned and was about to march away when Levi spoke again.

“Tch, I’m just shitting with you, brat.” There was a faint clink as he put down his cup. “As I said, I’d be happy to _help_ …” Levi purposely dropped the timber of his voice, so Eren would know the exact nature of the ‘help’ he was proposing, before flattened his face back into his signature expressionless mask. “…but I’m not going to force you into anything.”

“…what about you?” Eren squeaked out.

“Hmm?”

“What do you want to do…?”

“You’d run away if I told you.” The smirk Levi leveled towards him was absolutely feral. “But know this. I might not be able to stop after just _once_.” The alpha looked as though he was going to devour Eren whole. And then some.

_Eren’s heart felt like it was going to jump out of his ribcage as Levi sauntered towards him. It was impossible to breathe when he found himself nose to nose, literally, with Levi. Every whiff of oxygen was stained by his mate’s scent. He couldn’t look away when liquid mercury met his when Levi spoke. “Your choice, _Eren_.”_

Oh god.

Fuck.

Whoever said that short, dark men with cleaning addictions couldn’t be sexy was completely and utterly wrong. Levi hadn’t even touched him and he was already a sweaty, needy mess. Eren rarely heard Levi say his first name – it was always ‘Yeager,’ ‘brat,’ or some variation thereof – and the way Levi lowered his voice, purring out his name in that low baritone, made Eren want to prostrate himself at the alpha’s feet and beg his mate to claim him.

It was impossible to suppress the small breathless whine that escaped when the alpha backed away, eyes twinkling. “Levi…”

“Is that a yes?”

“Y-yes…” Eren replied automatically, not even registering much of the question. He had already made up his mind and _nothing_ was going to stop him from getting what he wanted.

The moment the word burst from his mouth, Levi’s demeanor shifted from cautiously optimistic to fully salacious. There was a predatory gleam in Levi’s eyes as Eren was suddenly yanked forward, stumbling against his mate, their bodies flush against one other.

“I’ve waited so fucking long for this.” Levi breathed, taking in the delectable scent coming from his mate.

“Y-you have…?”

Instead of a reply, lips crashed savagely against his and all Eren could do was reciprocate by opening his mouth and undulate against his alpha. Holy fuck, Levi was an amazing kisser. His body all but melted, blood rushing down to his groin. Eren trembled as hands roamed his body, skating below his shirt and downwards, until a hot palm cupped his groin, the heat branding him through the denim. Eren’s head was lightheaded from the kiss and all his feeble mind could register was that _finally_ his alpha was touching him.

“You’re already hard, brat.” Levi smirked, cupping the growing bulge between his omega’s thighs. He could only imagine how much Eren was leaking. He couldn’t wait until he had his omega on the bed and crying out for him. Skimming his hands in front of Eren’s pants, he was about to flip the buckle and undo Eren’s pants when he remembered one crucial detail.

“Shit,” Levi pulled away, willing his erection down. He really didn’t want to stop, but one of them needed to run down to the store and buy some and he didn’t trust Eren to have a sound mind to do so. “We don’t have condoms or anything.”

“Huh?” Eren was confused when Levi’s hand suddenly stilled. Blinking, it took him a moment to realize what Levi meant. “Oh, my dad gave me some pills for that kind of stuff.” He admittedly shyly, unable to face the alpha in the eyes.

“I thought they didn’t work?”

“No… I take two. One for my heat and another for umm… contraception.” The last word came out as a whisper.

“I see.” A slight upturn curved on the alpha’s lips. “So you’re saying you want to do it raw?” Unable to speak, Eren nodded. He doubted he could wait. And there was always a chance either of them could change their mind if they did. “Well then, since that’s the case, why don’t you go and make yourself all nice and clean in the shower? I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom, Eren.”

 

Heart pounding, Eren peeked his head out of the adjoining bathroom looking for a sign of Levi. Judging from the sounds coming from the other bathroom in the hall, Levi was taking a shower. Not knowing what to do, Eren crawled on the bed and waited. Repeating a mantra to calm himself down, he wasn’t even aware when the bedroom door opened and Levi walked in.

“Le-Levi!” Eren gasped when he heard the soft footsteps draw nearer.

“Ready?”

“I-I guess…” Eren couldn’t help shiver as the silver orbs stared straight at him, almost as if peering into his soul.

“Yes or no. If you want to back out, just say so.”

“Yes.”

“Good.” The alpha’s mouth curved into a full smile.

Blood pooled to his lower regions as Levi gazed at the delectable sight. Eren’s futile attempt to make himself look less assuming had backfired. It was impossible to refrain from staring at the sight of his mate, naked and sitting in the bed, trying to cover himself with a sheet. Levi’s cock twitched at the sight, readying itself for mating.

“Umm… stop staring at me. It’s embarrassing…” Eren whimpered, covering his eyes with his hands, under the hot gaze. The rapid thumping of his heart echoed in his ears. He felt utterly exposed like this as he lay naked on the bed; Levi had returned wearing pants. The towel over him barely served to shield anything from sight. Somehow, even if it wasn’t their first time, the heated gaze Levi directed on him made it feel so more intimate than their wedding night.

“Tch.” The room was filled with the sounds of quiet rustling. “Better?”

When he looked up once more, he saw that Levi had taken off his pants and was completely naked too. Levi wasn’t classically handsome. His lips were a little too thin, his eyes too flinty to be warm, and obviously, Levi was much shorter than average. But there was something to be said about pale alabaster framed in black. Plus Levi’s body more than made up for everything the older man lacked. Eren had seen naked men before in the locker room, some of whom had amazing bodies and others which were so-so, and he was surprised to see those sculpted muscles. The alpha wasn’t overly toned like a body builder; he was one of those lean muscular types. Eren had seen it before when taking care of Levi while his husband was sick, but he had been too focused on making sure Levi got healthy to really _look_. Licking his lips unconsciously, Eren admired the expanse of hard flesh wondering what it would feel to run his hand along it until one long, thick thing came into view.

“Cat got your tongue, brat?”

“It-It’s too big…” Whimpering in fear, Eren’s eyes never wavered from the monstrosity between the alpha’s legs as Levi walked towards the bed. It was _huge._ He had never seen it the first time, being on all fours and overwhelmed by everything going on. Levi wasn’t fully hard yet, but it had to be twice as large as his at least.

Eren knew it was possible to have proper sex, but none of that came to mind. Anxiety and fear clouded his judgment as he stared at the swollen flesh colored length. All he could think about was how Levi’s dick was going to tear him apart. He was going to die from having his ass torn apart. He could see the headlines already: ‘Young male dead from anal sex.’

“You mean this?” Levi watched Eren nod as he gestured towards his penis. It was understandable though. Even though Eren wasn’t technically a virgin anymore, the omega hadn’t been fully in control of his mental capacities when they had first mated. “Don’t worry; we’ll go slow.”

“B-but…”

“Shhh… it’ll be okay, Eren.” Levi crooned lightly into his ear. The words glided over Eren’s skin like magic, allaying his fears and causing his body to relax. His inner omega purred in satisfaction from the mate’s warmth and the unique sandalwood musk enveloping him. “I won’t do anything you don’t want.” There was a gentle shove as Levi pushed him onto the bed, tugging the towel away.

“Hah!” He gasped loudly as teeth scraped against his pulse. Embarrassed, Eren immediately clamped a hand over his mouth, but it was immediately wrenched away.

“Don’t hide it. I want to hear every whine,” fingers thumbed his nipples into aching peaks, “whimper,” a small nibble descended on his ear, “every _delicious_ sound you make, Eren.”

The next couple of minutes were filled with the sounds of Eren’s gasps and whimpers as Levi touched him _everywhere_. All the omega could do was grab the sheets and hang on for dear life as his alpha stimulated sensitive areas on his body he hadn’t even aware of. His body was a violin and Levi was the violinist, coaxing his body closer to a magnificent crescendo. He was melting from his mate’s ministrations.

There was a bit of discomfort when Levi finally began prepping him, but nothing he wasn’t able to handle. Eren let out a small cry when the third finger was added in, but again, there was no rush as Levi waited for him to slowly adjust. There was something both erotic and calming hearing the words flow out of his mate’s mouth and Levi’s tongue teasing him elsewhere certainly helped distract his mind.

“Why don’t you turn around? It’ll be easier if you’re on your hands and feet.” Levi moved away presumably to give him room to shift. But it only caused his attention to shift downwards towards the foot of the bed towards a certain hard length which Eren had almost completely forgotten about. “Relax, brat. I’m not going to do anything that you don’t want.”

“Okay…” Casting one more nervous glance at Levi, he turned around.

Levi kept his eyes on his mate as Eren got on all fours. The omega’s skin was unblemished, free from any scarring or moles, a canvas of perfection spread in front of him. Grasping those perfectly shaped hips, he massaged Eren’s butt, admiring the supple flesh mold to his hands.

“Raise your hips a bit.” Shifting, Eren squirmed as Levi gripped his butt and pulled it back. “Ready?”

“Y-Yes…” Waiting, he felt Levi position himself against him. The hard length pulsed against him, burning hot like a brand. As pleasurable as the fingering had been, Eren couldn’t help the small sound of panic when he felt the erection press up against his entrance.

“Breathe.” Levi’s hands caressed his body in a gentle up and down motion, mouth trailing behind and leaving soft kisses along his back. “We can stop if you want.”

“N-No…” He _wanted_ to see this through. Breathing heavily, Eren squeezed his eyes shut, forcing away any thoughts of pain and willed his body to relax. “Y-you can continue.”

There was a slight stretch as the blunt head slowly breached passed the ring of muscle. It was weird feeling something that hot and hard push into him. The deeper Levi went, the more it began to sting, feeling the thickness pierce deep inside him. Tears leaked out the corner of Eren’s eyes from the mix of arousal and pain. It was hot, so hot, almost as though his insides were on fire, body invaded by a foreign heat.

“L-Levi…”

“What?” The alpha couldn’t help the rough growl that came out. It was difficult enough to go slowly, but each time Eren breathed he could feel a slight tightening around his throbbing cock.

“It hurts…” Eren thrashed, face down.

“Relax, brat.” Gritting his teeth, Levi slowed his movements, waiting for Eren to adjust to his size. It was only the omega’s second time and the anxiety over being penetrated must have made the muscles contract even more. He wasn’t fully in yet and Eren was excruciatingly tight. “I’m only about halfway in.”

“Wha–?” Eren’s eyes were squeezed tight. He couldn’t believe that Levi was only halfway inside him. The entire thing would never fit. And if it did, it would _hurt._ Frankly, he was amazed it had managed to fit the first time. “It-it’s not going to fit…”

“Fuck! Stop clenching around me like that.” Levi swore, hands gripping tighter than usual on Eren’s hips. It was painfully tightly given how his mate was clenched around him. Things were going to be rough if Eren didn’t loosen up. The omega was too wound up and thinking useless thoughts. “I promise it’ll get better if you just relax and breathe.” Stilling, he pulled out a little, allowing Eren to adjust better. “Or I can stop here.”

“Hah, hah… no…” Eren tried to breathe. Although it hurt, it had felt good when Levi was prepping him, and he desperately wanted to continue. It was just a little scary since it was his first time and he was completely aware of everything going on. “Don’t stop.”

“Feeling better?” Palming those soft globes, Levi leaned down and slowly nibbled his way up Eren’s spine. Rubbing gentle circles on those sloped hips, the alpha hoped it would help calm the overanxious omega down. Eren had made such beautiful whimpers earlier when Levi’s fingers were inside, so he knew Eren would enjoy it once he stopped fretting.

“A little. Hurts less.”

The tight grip around his dick gradually eased up, allowing Levi to slowly push in a little more. He could still tell that Eren was struggling to adjust, though. The muscles were contracting around his dick, gripping tightly and then loosening for a moment, before repeating the sequence once more. Flicking his tongue over his omega’s scent glands, Levi was rewarded when Eren let out a small mewl of pleasure. Mentally taking note of the sensitive spot, he moved to nipping and sucking along Eren’s neck, marking the omega as his once more. Each time he hit a particular sensitive spot, Levi could feel muscles flutter around him.

“Nghh…”The distractions seemed to work as the tight grip around his cock loosened a bit and the quiet whimpers change just a fraction. It seemed like Eren was finally getting used to the feel of being penetrated.

“Better yet?”

“Uhnnn…!” Levi’s fingers came to play with his nipples and he mewled as more sparks rushed through him. The pain was gradually receding and all Eren could feel was how hot and hard the alpha was inside him. It was a little strange feeling Levi’s member pulsing inside him, all the way in his core. “So big, hah…” Eren whined, feeling the hardness press up in his abdomen. “I can feel you in my belly.”

“Tch, that’s impossible.”

“Hnn… but it-it does… It-it feels even bigger than last time…” Even though it wasn’t biologically possible, it really felt as though Levi had pierced straight into his core. Part of him wanted to expel the foreign object, but another part of him began to stir, demanding more. Fuzzy tingles began to fill him and his insides throbbed in tandem to Levi’s cock. Each contraction caused a little quiver in his gut. “A-A little… w-weird… feels weird.”

“Painful?”

“No.”

“I’m going to continue then. Okay?”

“Okay… uhnnn…”

“You feel so good, Eren.” The omega was so tight and warm around him. The heated friction wrapping around his cock made him want to ram himself in one smooth stroke. And those tiny whimpers, which sounded so much like Eren’s earlier mewls of pleasure, made it that much harder for Levi to refrain from pulling out and thrusting into the omega. But he wouldn’t do that while Eren was barely stretched out and sensitive inside. Grinding his cock deep inside, Levi smirked as a small whimper escaped.

“Ahnn…!”

“Like that?” There was a hint of smugness in that voice, but Eren couldn’t care about that much as Levi began to move slowly.

“Hnn, uhnnn…” Eren moaned, feeling Levi’s length slowly piston in and out of him, stirring up his insides. The intense friction made him feel like he was melting. The first few movements had been small as it pulled back and slid further inside with each thrust. It felt weird, but heated sparks raced through him from the tip of his fingers down to his toes as his insides were filled up, the sensations growing with each repetition. And Eren couldn’t help wanting more of that growing heat. “Levi, it-it’s weird... uhnnn... m-my body feels hot...”

“That’s a sign that your body is enjoying it.” Levi smirked, driving his cock in harder and deeper, but still methodologically slow enough that Eren wouldn’t get overwhelmed from the sensations. It was difficult to remain in control with that sinful heat wrapped around his aching flesh. Wanting to see the omega’s face contorted in pleasure, he pulled out and flipped Eren over, quickly thrusting back into that sweet heat once more.

“Uhnn... Le-Levi...”

“Fuck, you feel amazing, Eren.” Levi leaned his head down and pushed his tongue into Eren’s open one, fingers immediately coming up and entwining his hair as legs wrapped around him. Rolling his hips into his mate, the alpha could feel Eren moan into his mouth, muscles contracting around his cock. Thrusting harder, Levi groaned at the tight heat wrapping around his aching member.

“Nhnn...” Eren felt Levi shift inside him slightly and a sudden rush of _something_ indescribable rushed through him and he threw his head back, crying out. “Ahhnn!”

“Found it.” The glazed, lust-filled expression on his mate’s face made him throb with need. Who knew the brat could be so enticing? Eren’s cheeks were reddened, mouth wide open, and eyes half-lidded as he thrust in again, aiming for the omega’s prostate.

“Ahhh!” Eren gasped as another shockwave surged through him. It was even more intense than the one he had felt before. His body tingled from head to toe, each time Levi moved in and out, as another wave crashed through him. “Hnnn... Wha-what was that?”

“Your sweet spot.” Levi slowed down and ground his cock deep inside his mate, watching as Eren gasped and trembled beneath him. “Like that, eh?” Pulling out, Levi slowly slid back in, hearing a small whimper. Repeating the motion, he could feel Eren contract around him as the whimpers slowly grew in volume.

“Al-Alpha... m-more...” Eren cried out, arching his back and clawing the firm shoulders above him, instinctively seeking more of that white heat which had filled him earlier. It wasn’t as intense as before when Levi had touched that spot, but still felt good. Each time he was penetrated, the thickness rubbed against him, making his head a jumble. His body was hot, insides throbbing with need. Wrapping his legs around Levi’s waist, Eren couldn’t get enough of each time his mate surged and filled him up completely. “Oh god...! Uhnn... Le-Levi... de-deeper, m-more...”

“Shit,” Levi groaned, bottoming out once more. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt such delicious friction around his cock. He wouldn’t last long with the sinful pleasure of Eren clenching around him. It was like the omega was made for him. Eren was so hot and tight as his mate began rutting his hips to meet each thrust.

He somewhat regretted waiting so long before bedding his mate again, but their first time had been rather awkward and forced, and Eren hadn’t seemed at all interested until now. Even if Levi did have physical needs, he would never stoop so low as to manipulate or force someone to have sex with him. But now that they were finally doing it, he didn’t want to stop.

“Hnnn… Levi… Ah!” Eren cried out as the alpha began to move faster and harder, filling up him again and again. There was no pain anymore; all he could feel was heat and pleasure. His erection was caught between their bodies and each time Levi slammed back into him, it rubbed between their bodies. The only thing he could do was hold onto as white heat flowed through his veins. He wasn’t even sure what he was saying or doing anymore; all he was aware of was that blinding pleasure streaking through his body.

“Wa-wait, Levi! It-it’s too much!” He writhed, feeling pressure coil in his gut as Levi continued to move. Eren didn’t know what was happening. It felt like he was on the cusp of something, but he had no clue what it was.

“You mean it hurts?” The alpha immediately stilled inside him.

“N-no…” Breathing heavily, Eren could feel the hardness pulsate inside him as concerned eyes bored down on him. Now that the thrusting had stopped, it wasn’t enough. Eren shifted his hips, trying to feel that surge of pleasure once more. The pressure seemed to die down a bit, but it immediately ratcheted up the movement he moved. “Hnnn!” Even then, it couldn’t compare to the earlier overwhelming heat that made his head feel like he was spiraling out of control. “Le-Levi… m-move…”

“Heh, such a needy omega.” Levi smirked, feeling Eren’s ass twitch along his cock, urging him on. Those beguiling green eyes were shimmering with what looked like tears, tanned cheeks flush with need. “That’s just your body telling you it feels good.”

Eren moaned into the kiss as Levi’s mouth covered his once more, stifling the sound of his cries as Levi began to move once more. In its place, the room was filled with the sound of the bedsprings creaking each time Levi thrust back in, headboard thumping loudly against the wall. The scent of their lovemaking, a musk of spice and sweat, filled the room as they moved.

“Mmhhh!” Eren screamed into his husband’s mouth as all the pressure was suddenly expelled.

Arching his back, he desperately clawed those raven locks, flashes of color blinding his vision as he spasmed around that thick member continuing to pound into him. Tingles of electricity raced through his body. His heart was racing, thudding loudly in his ribcage, as he gradually came down from the euphoric high. A few moments later, Eren felt Levi shudder and groan as a gush of hot wetness was released inside him, the alpha’s knot flaring and locking their bodies together not a moment later.


	17. Chapter 17

Blinking his eyes open, Eren was mildly upset at not finding Levi beside him, but it was better than the alternative. It was a relief that he was by himself. How was he supposed to act after engaging in such an intimate thing with his husband? The only indication that Levi had lain on the bed next to him was the shallow indentation in the pillow, ruffled sheets on the other half of the bed, and the alpha’s scent all over the fabrics. And of course the dull, throbbing ache in his lower half.

Another side of Levi was revealed the moment he agreed to having sex. Eren had expected it… somewhat, but it was like all the hunger and desire in those silvery orbs had rushed out.

The sex… the sex had been _intense_. Apart the initial pain of penetration, it had been miles beyond what Eren had imagined possible. Flushing, he buried his head deeper inside the pillows. All the sounds he had made, the desperation in his voice, and how wanton he had been asking for more. Eren could feel the lingering ghost of Levi’s member hitting his sweet spot, the rush of heat coursing through his veins, and the liquid warmth as the alpha’s seed flooded out.

Levi had taken control, coaxing his body in ways Eren hadn’t even known was possible. His wedding night had been one thing, but words couldn’t even describe the sensations of last night. Levi certainly had not lied about going at it more than once. They had done it once more on the bed, after which the alpha had whisked him into the shower. The attempt at cleaning off had evolved into another round in the tiled stall. Eren was a limp, boneless mess when all was said and done. Levi had been the one to wash him off and carry him back to bed where he had fallen into a dreamless sleep.

Peeking at the clock, Eren groaned as he noted the time. All he wanted to do was bury himself in the soft downy bed and sleep for another few hours, but it was a Friday. Briefly contemplating whether to call in sick, he decided against doing so. Saying his ass hurt from having sex wasn’t a legitimate excuse. And married sex was normal under normal ordinary circumstances.

There were other problems when Eren considered his job though.

Chief amongst them was how he was going to face Levi now. If their wedding night was any indication, there was a distinct possibility that the alpha would treat him the same as before they had sex. Despite Eren’s relief that things wouldn’t be awkward in the office, the thought also depressed Eren. Some part of him vainly wished things would change after being intimate with his husband. But they hadn’t made any promises to one another. Of course, the manner in which Levi treated him had gradually changed over time, but their relationship still wasn’t very close..

Eren cringed at the tightness in his hips as he sat up. His insides were still throbbing from the aftermath of sex. Maybe it was the endorphins talking, but at least it wasn’t as bad as after his wedding. Still, it was weird feeling aches in areas of his body he never imagined possible.

Swinging his legs over the mattress, the omega half-hobbled, half-walked to the bathroom. Splashing lukewarm water on his face, the droplets revitalized him a little. Lifting his head, Eren blinked, it took him a few seconds to realize the picture staring back at him. He was surprised, but not completely shocked, at the reddish-pink marks dotting his body. Levi had certainly been thorough last night.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to look over the rest of his body. He was running late as it was. Rubbing his hands over his face, Eren finished cleaning himself up and made his way back to the bedroom. Not bothering with fashion, Eren tossed on whatever was easiest to put on and still appropriate for work. Covering a yawn with his hand, he quickly shuffled to the kitchen.

Popping one of the K-cups into the coffee machine, Eren felt a little more alert from the smell of caffeine. Grabbing a piece of toast, he popped it in the toaster, blowing on his coffee as he stared absentmindedly at the kitchen tiles.

“Oi, brat.”

“L-LEVI!” He screeched. Startled, Eren nearly dropped the cup of coffee he was holding. He hadn’t even heard Levi approach him. “W-wha-what – where did you come from?”

“Jesus Christ! Don’t yell like that, brat.” Levi cringed at the loud exclamation of surprise, side eyeing him darkly, and rubbing his ear in pain. “What are you doing, Yeager?”

“N-Nothing…” Breathing deeply, he tried preventing his memories of last night from taking over. Unfortunately, Eren’s senses were flooded with by the alpha right next to him, reminding him of everything they had shared, and he flushed.

“Tch, crazy brat.” Levi snorted, reaching around Eren to grab a cup. “Pass me the hot water will you?”

Silently, Eren grabbed the kettle and passed it to his husband without looking Levi in the eye. He wasn’t sure how best to face his husband after sleeping with Levi last night. Unlike their wedding night, Eren remembered with crystal clarity all the embarrassing sounds and things they had done. Just thinking about it made him flustered. How could he ever face Levi without the alpha thinking of him as an absolute wanton?

“By the way…”

“Hmm?” Eren peeked up, sipping his coffee as he did. It was difficult to not sneak glances at Levi. Even though his husband was wearing a formfitting suit, he could still see the hard, corded muscles underneath. The same hard flesh he had grabbed onto as their bodies meshed. He wondered where all the strength came from; Levi didn’t have the build of a bodybuilder, but he certainly was toned.

“…your hips okay?” The question jolted him out of his reverie.

“Uhh… y-yeah…” He stammered nervously. Shit, how did _anyone_ deal with the morning after? He was sure many people had one-night stands and couples most certainly had sex, but how was one supposed to act when facing their partner? “What about you…?”

“I’m fine.” Eren was envious at how put together Levi seemed. He hadn’t kept track of the clock, but his body definitely felt the effects of last night’s activities. In contrast, everything about Levi seemed _normal_ ; not a strand of hair was out of place.

“By the way,” he looked up to see piercing dark orbs assessing him, “you might want to change your clothes.”

Eren knew he hadn’t chosen the most professional outfit, but he had worn the simple v-neck and pants before. “Why? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

Levi only stared at him as though he was an idiot. “Well… don’t blame me if you get shit for it.”

“For what?”

“These.” Levi tapped his own neck in response.

It took Eren a moment to realize what his husband was implying. When realization dawned on him, he hurriedly clapped a hand to his own neck. “Shit!”

Rushing to the mirror Eren could easily see the reddish marks staring back at him. He didn’t have make-up or anything to hide the clear signs of sex. How did everyone else even deal with them? He had no idea what people did to conceal love bites or hickeys. It was too warm for a turtleneck, but most of them were low enough that changing into a high collared shirt or doing up the top buttons of a button-down would be sufficient.

Grabbing a button-down from his wardrobe, Eren contemplated briefly whether to wear an undershirt with it. It was pretty warm in the office and the shirt was opaque enough to hide the reddish marks. Quickly tugging it on, he was glad none of the marks were visible under his chosen shirt.

Unfortunately there was still the mating bite to contend with. Rubbing the back of his neck, the omega hissed at the slight bruising from when Levi had marked him again.

“You done yet? We need to leave soon!” Levi voice carried in from the hallway.

“One minute!” Assessing himself in the mirror, Eren frowned at top half of the reddish ring peeking above the collar. He didn’t have enough time to change clothes again and without make-up it would be difficult to conceal the mark. Grabbing a bandage, he hurriedly pasted over the unhidden portion of the bite, hoping it would hide the rest of the mark. It was the best he could do on such short notice.

 

* * *

 

“What’s wrong?” Levi could sense the unhappiness emanating from the omega as soon as Eren stepped into his office.

“Nothing. Just Jean being an ass.”

“What did he do?” Levi’s man’s eyes narrowed at the thought of someone harassing his mate. For whatever reason, even though he had only slept with Eren once (the first time didn’t really count), knowing that someone had upset his mate only riled up Levi’s protective instincts. They had been creeping on him for a while, but it only really hit him now. All he wanted to do was comfort Eren until the omega felt calm and happy once more, even _if_ the office was neither the time nor place.

“Random shit.” Eren shrugged, ignoring his question as he divided and placed the documents on Levi’s desk in two piles. “These need signatures and you need to double check and go through the ones on the right.”

“Eren…” The word came out in a low growl. Levi knew his mate was not one to readily tattle on someone for something so petty, but the alpha couldn’t let it go. “Tell me.”

“Fine.” There was a reluctant sigh as Eren’s hands stilled. There was no need to make a big fuss over it. Eren was used to things like this. Since presenting as an omega, he had been constantly degraded about his status by his father. It still stung to be talked about in such a manner, but he knew that Jean was only being an idiot; it was no wonder the horseface was still single. “He said something about how it looked like I had just had sex the night before and insinuated that I had slept with someone else. That it smelled like I had slept with _you_.”

That part was true, but there was something in Eren’s tone that belied the truth. The brat wouldn’t have worded the last part so suspiciously _unless_ … “…did he call you a slut?”

“Yeah.” The tanned hand stilled, and those green eyes refused to look up at him.

“That fucker.” Levi rose from the table, ready to rip apart the source of his mate’s unhappiness. Eren’s eyes looked up in alarm at his swearing. “I’m going to kill him.”

“It’s okay, Levi.” Eren walked quickly around and pushed him back down into his seat.

“No it’s not. He said that my omega was a slut, and I’m going to make sure that he doesn’t say it again.”

The sound of Levi calling him ‘my omega’ sent a small flutter through Eren’s heart. No one had ever talked about him in that manner before. Levi had used similar phrases on several occasions, but they didn’t count. Those names had uttered been in bed and when they were acting in front of people. Still, the omega couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to truly _be_ someone else’s, namely Levi’s, omega.

“Well… we never really told anyone about our relationship, so it’s not entirely surprising to hear such comments.” There was a faint resignation in Eren’s tone as he rationalized the behavior of the asshole. Still, Levi could sense his mate’s distress. “I’ll survive, don’t worry.”

Levi stared at Eren for a long minute before giving in. The brat was right in saying that some of what was happening was because they had never clarified their relationship to others in the company. Back then, he still thought of Eren as a no good brat he was saddled for life with, one Levi barely tolerated, but things had gradually changed. The omega was still an insufferable brat, but Levi had come to terms with Eren being in his life permanently. And not necessarily in a bad way either.

“Tch.” Clicking his tongue, Levi gently circled his hands around his mate’s slender hips and pulled Eren down to his lap. Wrapping his arms around Eren’s waist, he nuzzled Eren’s neck, the same area where Eren’s scent glands were, hoping the gesture would soothe the omega.

Unabashedly, Levi took the same opportunity to breath Eren’s scent, catching a nose full of the familiar cinnamon and sandalwood musk. It was slightly unusual smelling his scent on Eren, instead of the spices and honey he normally associated with the younger male, but not that unusual given what they had been doing last night. Thinking about how his and Eren’s scents blended harmoniously together as one was intoxicating.

The omega resisted at first, before slowly returning the embrace. Feeling Eren begin to lean towards him, Levi let his husband rest for a few more minutes before looking back at those bright green eyes. “Feeling better?”

“Mhm. Umm… thank you.” There was a shy contented smile as Eren nodded, leaning forward and pecking him on the cheek lightly. The gesture was so sweet and endearing. Levi couldn’t help the small quirk at the corner of his lips, which was invisible to everyone but himself.

“Anything for my omega.” Levi kissed his mate back, gently nipping at the pliant flesh against him, tasting Eren’s luscious mouth.

The alpha wanted to undo the damage so everyone in the company would know who _his_ omega belonged to. Some people like Erwin knew they were mated, but most were still unaware. It was difficult for him to suddenly change his stance on public displays of affection and the last thing Levi wanted was even more gossip mongering. But Eren came first.

Levi had never been a man of words, but something like this could easily be done with actions. And he knew just how to do it with Eren being perched on his lap.

Fingers clutched at his hair, pulling his head closer as their kiss deepened. Delicately tracing Eren’s orifice with his tongue, Levi could taste the sugary bitter taste of vanilla coffee on the omega’s flesh as he plunged deeper, exploring the warm cavern with languid strokes. Eren took it in stride, entwining his tongue around Levi’s. The alpha could feel the slick hot roughness slide against his as he nipped lightly at his mate’s delicate flesh.

“Levi… what are you doing?” Eren breathed heavily as he pulled back from the heated kiss. He didn’t mind Levi using his tongue to devour him – his mate was an amazing kisser – but they were still in the office. Being caught making out in Levi’s office was the last thing he wanted happen.

“Giving my omega the attention he deserves.” There was a molten gaze in his mate’s eyes as Levi smirked. Fingers deftly undid the top few buttons of Eren’s dress shirt, giving Levi free access to his collarbones and shoulders.

“But we’re at work…” Eren whined, breathing a little heavier as the alpha laved butterfly kisses on his collarbones. Although he was afraid of being heard, he was still unable to suppress the shudder that ran through him as Levi nipped his neck. The alpha had switched tactics when his mouth had become unavailable and was now targeting all the other spots where skin was exposed. Teeth grazed gently over Eren’s throat, sending a shockwave through him.

“So? Look at you. Such a pretty omega.” Levi crooned into Eren’s ear. Although they had been strangers, enemies even, when they had married and mated, he was grateful to whoever had paired them together. Levi loved how responsive and vocal Eren was in bed, how the omega complemented him, and everything from Eren’s scent to his mate’s lithe body. Eren had the most beguiling blue-green eyes Levi had ever seen, and the glorious tanned skin, soft and supple against his palms, made the animal inside him howl. He would be hard-pressed to find someone else as perfect as his mate.

“Alpha…” Panting, Eren grasped onto his husband’s shirt, digging his hands into firm flesh. His toes curled at the sound of his mate’s deep cadence right next to his ear. It made him needy. The sights, sounds, smells, and memories of the last few hours were fresh in his head. Eren’s body was feverish. His insides were fluttering in anticipation, dredging up the ghostly sensations of pleasure from when his alpha had been inside him.

Running his hands against Eren’s waist, Levi slipped his palms under Eren’s pants, pulling out his mate’s shirt tails in the process. He glided his hands upwards, feeling the smooth taut skin underneath, to tease those rosy nipples.

“Hghhhh… What are you doing, Levi?” Eren whimpered, pulling his mouth off his mate’s, as Levi’s thumbs rubbed his nipples. After all that had happened in the last week, they were more sensitive than usual, perking up immediately from the teasing.

“Playing with my omega’s pretty nipples.” Nipping those kiss-flushed lips once more, Levi ran his fingers across the pebbled flesh once again, eliciting another small whimper from his mate. It was amazing how quickly Eren had been aroused by a few simple touches. Levi could already detect the ever-potent scent of Eren’s arousal wafting in the air. “Can’t you feel what I’m doing?”

“B-but why…?”

“Hmm?” Levi pretended not to hear the question. He was too busy covering Eren’s neck with fresh bites and marks, marking him in a manner that would leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that the omega was mated in the truest sense. The alpha could taste the spicy tang of cinnamon and sweet essence of honey from his mate with every lick.

Eren seemed to have completely forgotten they were in the office as he mewled, bucking his hips against Levi’s. Although it was somewhat sound insulating for client confidentiality reasons, Levi had no doubt that people would easily be able to guess what they were doing. Between the intoxicating scent Eren was giving off and the fresh bruising on the omega’s neck, it was a dead giveaway. But who was he to naysay his mate? If those fuckers made fun of Eren and made him feel bad, Levi would kill them himself.

“Stop it, Levi… it’s embarrassing…” Eren whined a little louder as Levi tweaked his nipples lightly. He could smell the musky sandalwood and forest scent surrounding him. Levi’s insistent bulge pressed up against him and knowing that his alpha wanted to mate made the omega cream his pants a little. Rutting against the air, he whimpered a little louder this time. “We’re still at work… I’m going to get hard… My pants are going to get dirty…” It was difficult curbing his desire, but Eren somehow managed to prevent his instincts from taking over.

“We can’t have that now, can we?” There was a light teasing note in Levi’s tone as he pushed Eren off his lap.

“Levi…?” Eren whined, shooting an adorable befuddled look of confusion at him.

“As much as I’d like to do more, we’re at work.” Pulling down and straightening out the creases in the omega’s shirt, Levi curled his lips in a semblance of faint smirk, watching as Eren blushed crimson from head to toe. “We’ll continue the rest after we return home.” Standing up, he buttoned up Eren’s shirt. He whispered lightly sucking on the omega’s earlobe.

“Oh – wh – Levi!” Eren spluttered as Levi pulled away. His mind was still dazed in pleasure, after realizing what he had been doing moments ago. He wouldn’t have reacted like that if it weren’t for his jackass of a husband’s fault. “It’s all your fault!”

“Heh.” Licking his lips, he watched Eren parrot his action, eyes stalking that pink flesh leaving behind a trail of glistening moisture on those swollen lips. “You can’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it, brat.”

“Just… gahh…!” Huffing, Eren crossed his arms, stomping away from Levi to the other side of the desk. “I can’t believe you…” Shaking his head, he pointed to the papers he had delivered before they had gotten derailed. “There’s the report you wanted. Anything else, sir?”

“Not until we get home.” There was an all-too-sly smirk as Levi slid his hand over the report and pulled it towards himself. Eren didn’t dare reply to the suggestive remark, as he waited for Levi to check his work.

After a moment, Levi seemed to get Eren’s silence and waved him away. “Why are you still here? Don’t you still have work to do, Yeager?”

Sighing internally at how they had returned to the issue of work, Eren walked towards the door. Running a hand over his face and hair, he hoped he looked presentable at least. Taking a whiff of his collar, he couldn’t help but revel in his alpha’s scent. Breathing deeply, a rush of heat settled in Eren’s core as the scent entered him, filling him with a sense of deep-seated longing. He hoped no one would realize what had kept him in Levi’s office, but the alpha’s scent would be difficult to disguise.

Eren had never a sex life or interest in it before meeting Levi, so it was difficult knowing what to do or say. They had slept together less than twenty-four hours ago and already he was falling deeper into the abyss that was his alpha. It was difficult wrapping his mind the exact role the dark-haired man played in his life.

First, Levi had been a stranger. A man he had been forced to marry and mate. Living together in the Ackerman estate hadn’t changed anything.

But then, the man had become his boss and employer.

After the trial, Levi became the roommate he never had. Not close enough to be a friend, but more intimate than an acquaintance.

And now…

Eren had no label for their budding relationship. They were something more than sex friends with a solely physical relationship, but less than a happily married couple who shared everything.


	18. Chapter 18

“Crap, where are they…?” Eren’s exasperated voice echoed hollowly through the ceramic tiled bathroom. He had been digging through the bathroom cabinet for the last ten minutes, but coming up completely empty. It was unlikely for him to have moved them under the sink, but they weren’t behind the bathroom mirror like he remembered. There was another clatter as he moved the miscellaneous bottles and boxes around searching for a particular bottle.

He was sure he had at least another month’s supply left – his dad had given him a year’s supply when he got married – but they were nowhere to be found. He had his June’s supply of suppressants in the drawer, but the contraceptives needed to be taken daily. Omega pregnancies outside of heat were extremely rare, almost nonexistent, but he didn’t want to chance it. They also had and used condoms, and it had been a weird experience picking a pack up after Levi got them the first time, but having the fallback gave Eren a peace of mind.

After Levi’s bold actions that one afternoon, their relationship had become known throughout the entire office. Eren had gotten some flack for it at the beginning, but it had died down once they realized that Levi didn’t treat him any differently _much_. Instead, he became the floor’s sacrificial pawn so to speak. Not only was he in charge of Levi’s tea, but they would always make him enter the lion’s den first whenever Levi was in a bad mood to make sure things were okay. Had it been in any other context, Eren would have found it funny. Jean was practically a head taller than Levi and was scared shitless whenever Levi looked his way.

Pulling his head back, a blaze of pain burst against the back of Eren’s skull when he accidentally hit the inside of the cabinet.

“FUCK!”

Carefully withdrawing his head out of the deathtrap, Eren sat back on the tiled floor, uncaring of how ‘dirty’ it was. Nursing his bruised head (and ego), he wracked his brain trying to come up with where his medicine was. It wasn’t like the bottle could mysteriously grow legs and walk away. Sliding his head back, Eren rested his head against cool surface, sighing at the relief it provided.

He had lain there for a few minutes before the soft padding of footsteps neared. Eren couldn’t be bothered to move despite knowing full well who it was and what was going to be said. Levi would no doubt ask what he was doing and mention how disgusting it was sitting on the floor, even if it was the cleanest bathroom floor Eren had ever seen. The thought of the short dark-haired alpha scowling down at him made him break out into a small smile, which was how Levi found him a moment later.

“…why the fuck are you doing sitting on the filthy floor and smiling like that?”

Eren fluttered his eyes open to see the expected scowl as Levi stared down at him. Had it been his first week in the condo, he might have flinched from the intensity of Levi’s gaze, but he merely ignored it. Eren had grown used to Levi’s expression to know that the alpha found his action disgusting, but not so much so that Levi would force him to immediately get up. Besides, it wasn’t like his presence on the floor was disrupting anything aside from Levi’s sensibilities.

Pasting a contented grin, he leaned further back against the cool tiles. “It feels nice and cold though.”

“Tch, that’s disgusting.” The alpha pinched his nose as though he had a headache from the thought of sitting on the bathroom floor. Knowing Levi, he probably was. Ignoring the comment, Eren merely shrugged and closed his eyes. “So, what was the yell for?”

“Oh. I banged my head against the cabinet.” He felt the weight of Levi’s judging gaze dart to the open cabinet door before landing on him again.

“What were you doing sticking your head in the god damn cabinet?”

“Err… I was looking for my pills. You wouldn’t happen to know where they are, would you?” Eren stared straight the pair of stormy dark orbs.

“What pills?”

“My contraceptives.”

Levi paused to look at him, an inscrutable expression on his face, before exhaling. “What do they look like?”

“Gimme a moment to stand up.” Groaning softly, Eren pulled himself back to standing position. His husband made a small grimace as he stepped towards Levi to access his drawer. Rummaging through the contents, he pulled a familiar bottle out and handed it over. “This. I should have two more of these.”

Eren took the time while Levi examined the bottle to consider his upcoming heat. There was still a month, but after having sex with Levi, the thought of not spending his heat with the alpha was unbearable. The last heat without his mate had been torture, but being aware of how amazing sex was would only make it that much worse. Eren hadn’t reminded his husband yet, but it was difficult knowing what the best choice would be. Their relationship was still fragile – it only been a month or so since they had first slept together – and physical contact was not the same thing as emotional closeness.

Levi hadn’t forced him into anything of it, but sex had become a fairly regular occurrence over the last couple of weeks. The second time had been more enjoyable than the first, but Levi still took control whenever they did it. The alpha never made it feel bad, though. It actually felt _really_ good. However, Eren was a little too embarrassed to try some of the risqué suggestions Levi made.

But despite the sex, there wasn’t much in the way of intimacy that a normal couple would enjoy. The amount of time they spent together had increased compared to before, but it wasn’t much. It was mostly just breakfast or dinner, and the odd quiet companionship after Levi’s regular cleaning ritual. There weren’t any spoken promises between them, but it still _felt_ like they were getting closer.

“One sec.” As quickly as he had appeared, Levi left the room, leaving Eren confused. Less than a minute later, he returned with two more bottles in his hands. “Here. I thought they were vitamins or something.” Eren gratefully took the medicines back. “I thought contraceptives had to be prescribed. Why isn’t your name on them?”

“Oh, I got them from my dad.” Eren wondered whether he should ask for a new supply in June. The alternative would be to go to a doctor. But he had never seen a doctor outside of an STI check before his marriage and one brief hospitalization as a child when he had sprained his ankle. And Eren wasn’t sure what to expect. Having a doctor in the house meant there had never been a need to see anyone else. “Where were they?”

“The other bathroom.”

 _Duh._ Eren mentally chided himself for not thinking of it. But it wasn’t his fault the pills weren’t where he had originally placed them. After making sure they were still sealed, he closed the lid and dropped them back in the drawer.

His father had given them to him before the wedding just in the off chance that he would somehow end up having sex with a nobody. They had been trivially easy to obtain as his father’s company specialized in the latest medical drugs and equipment. Of course, the possibility of pregnancy had only been a legitimate concern since moving into the Ackerman household. It wasn’t like he had many friends, let alone a significant other, before then. Eren had continued taking them as a matter of habit more so than necessity before, but they were definitely useful now. Particularly, since he was likely spending his next heat in the presence of his mate.

Thankfully he was correct in his assumption that he had enough to tide him through till the end of June. The current bottle was nearly empty and Eren wasn’t sure how long it would take to get a new prescription. He hadn’t talked to his dad in months. Grisha had made it explicitly clear that he wanted no part to do with Eren after all the work he had put into securing a partnership went up in flames. It had been radio silence from his dad since then. There were no ‘merry Christmases’ or ‘happy new years’ over the phone. In a way it was a blessing; Eren no longer had to deal with an overbearing parental figure in his life. But it was also depressing to lose the last remaining link to his family.

Shaking off the moody thoughts of his absentee father, Eren nodded at Levi. “Thanks.”

“Mn.” The response came as a simple grunt. It was as close as to a ‘you’re welcome’ from Levi he was going to get. “Need anything else?”

“Nope, I’m good.”

One brief nod later, Levi walked out of the bathroom to presumably return to work. Eren blinked, feeling a slight pang of loss as he stared at the empty space left by his husband. Maybe he was naïve and inexperienced, but it felt like things had changed – rather, that _he_ had changed – after sleeping with Levi that night. When they had married, his husband had iterated several times, making it clear, that their marriage was simply out of convenience for their respective family businesses.

That was no longer the case though. The board had long since cut ties with Levi. Eren wasn’t sure on the details, but the entire organization had undergone massive downsizing and restructuring. Many of the Ackerman Group’s subsidiaries were being swallowed up by other companies or being let go and forming their own independent businesses. Similarly, after the Ackerman Group had come under fire, the tumultuous relationship he had with his father had been burned. Whether his marriage fell apart or succeeded no longer had any bearing on Yeager Pharmaceuticals. What little Eren knew about his father or the company came from the news. The company had escaped rather unscathed, and since then he hadn’t heard a peep. The probability of his father reaching out with an olive branch in the future was unlikely, and even then, the thought of Grisha being back in his life gave him mixed feelings.

Shutting the stupid cabinet door with a gentle thud, Eren stared in the mirror. A pair of bright green eyes and mess of brown hair stared back at him. Though there were no more hickeys on his neck, he pressed his fingers against his neck and rubbed the eleven month old mating mark. The omega couldn’t see it from this angle, but he could feel the slight bumps indicating where teeth had broken skin. He had seen it a few times before, and for the most part the teeth marks were almost invisible against his darker skin.

Eren certainly hadn’t discussed the direction of their relationship or whether things had changed, and it was difficult to determine whether that was a good idea or not. It could very well be the case that Levi would only pull away and things would return to how they were back at the Ackerman estate, but he could also be worrying for no reason. Communication was definitely not Levi’s strong suit and it only made things that much more confusing.

Levi’s behavior had not changed drastically, but it felt like it had.

His husband still wasn’t very pleasant to talk to and rarely initiated conversation, but Eren was getting more than just swearing and cursing from him. Though curt, the alpha would actually reply to greetings, and not with a grunt either. Similarly, while Levi was still a cleaning tyrant when it came to cleaning, Eren was no longer afraid of his attitude or words. In the past, he would immediately cower if Levi so much as glared, but these days, he was unfazed by it.

Levi was easily irritated by inane speech and thoughtless actions and his threshold for stupidity was certainly muted compared to others, but it wasn’t as though he didn’t care. He merely showed it in a very different manner. Erwin and Hange were prime examples of that; Eren had heard his husband bluster and rage about his friends multiple times, making claims about committing amicicide and promises never to let them in – the omega had been worried the first few times – but Levi had never acted on those impulses.

Viewing this softer side of his husband only made it more difficult to figure out what he truly felt for Levi.

Breaking his gaze with the reflection, Eren made his way back to the bedroom. Immediately, his chest was filled with a fuzzy warmth as he inhaled Levi’s signature sandalwood and pine musk. Normally, Eren didn’t have time to savor the sensation, but he did so now, feeling the tingling that gradually spread out to his limbs and eventually down to his fingertips. The alpha’s scent had definitely never elicited such reactions until they moved in together. But now, one of his daily pleasures was waking up curled up in soft blankets to the scent every morning.

Perhaps he was confounding physical pleasure with emotional closeness, and it _was_ also possible Eren was experiencing both, but it was difficult to tease the two apart. Seeking another sexual partner was never in the cards – he neither desired it, nor did he want to cheat – and after all that happened, he felt strangely close to Levi. Unfortunately, Eren didn’t have many friends with whom he felt comfortable talking about such sensitive matters. Armin was halfway across the country and had never met Levi. Levi’s associates and his colleagues were certainly out of the question and he had never discussed anything so intimate with Armin before. It left him with a plethora of questions and not many answers.

Despite the physical attraction between them, though, Eren couldn’t discount the possibility that he was gradually falling for Levi. He found himself yearning for Levi’s presence in his daily life. Despite Levi being unusually taciturn and grouchy compared to most, the alpha was the person he was emotionally closest to. Even the most meaningless sound, such as Levi’s signature monosyllabic grunt, was laden with layers of meaning. Of course, being attuned to the alpha’s scent as a product of their mating was part of it. But after almost a year of marriage, it had come to his attention that Levi was not that difficult to understand.

There were also certain things – simple things, really – that Levi enjoyed. A cup of black tea when working, a glass of wine in the evening, and of course, for things to be clean. It had been an interesting adjustment to say the least when they had moved in together and Eren had a first-class seat to Levi’s strict cleaning standards. It made sense why they had had an army of maids and menservants working around the clock back at the mansion. Eren had never used a feather duster or scrubbed the floors so much before then. Hell, at one point, he had been able to see his reflection in the kitchen sink since it was so freakishly clean. Eren had tried to negotiate a laxer routine, but cleaning was the one thing Levi refused to budge on.

A tiny groan escaped as he thought about cleaning. Levi didn’t need to say anything – his gaze had said it all – but the alpha definitely expected him to mop down the tiles which he had sat on. Eren briefly debated skirting the task, but decided not to procrastinate. He had nothing better to do and this way, when their weekly cleaning came around tomorrow, he might be able to avoid cleaning the bathroom.


	19. Chapter 19

“Sir, your four o’clock is here.”

“Bring him in.” Closing his eyes for a moment, Levi sighed, trying to collect himself for the meeting with Eren’s father. Grisha had contacted him a week ago. As much as he wanted to shut the man out, he would have a better idea of what the man planned if he kept Grisha close.

“Levi, thank you for agreeing to meet me on such short notice.”

“Mm...” Levi grunted, ignoring the hand that was extended to him by his father-in-law. Eren hadn’t told him much about his father, but he did know that the two weren’t on the best of terms. He had done a thorough investigation of the older beta’s past, but the reports couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. Even then, Levi couldn’t help trust his gut at the feeling that there was something _wrong_ about Grisha Yeager.

Forcing himself to cordial at least, Levi leaned back, waiting for the man to sit. With his round lenses and hair slicked back, Grisha reminded him of a serpent, an oily scaly thing who hid his true intentions until the end when he would strike to kill. The only way to slay the beast was to be on top of things. And unfortunately, Levi did not hold all the cards in his hands at the moment. There were too many unknowns. If he had more information, he might have used a different tact, but for now, he would have to see what his father-in-law wanted.

“What brings you here?”

“What? Why can’t I visit my favorite son-in-law?” Levi had been around enough liars and fakes to know when the man was pretending. The words oozed friendly in a manner that made him want to puke. Besides, as far as Levi knew he was Grisha’s _only_ son-in law. The man could loathe him and he would still be considered the ‘favorite.’ “How are you and how is Eren doing?”

“We’re fine.” He replied in a clipped tone. The smile on the man’s face died a little, before coming back up in full force. Even if Levi was going to play along with the man’s game, he wasn’t the type to commiserate and pretend to feel things he didn’t feel. “What are you here for, Yeager?”

“Call me father. We are related after all now.”

“Grisha, then.” Levi amended. There was no way he was going to call Grisha Yeager anything remotely paternal. The overly familiar word made him want to gag. “What brings you here?”

“I have a proposition for you.”

“Go on.”

“I need a sponsor for a new drug. If it pans out, we’ll both be in the up. I’ll let you know when I have more details.” He was used to hearing business proposals and anything as half-baked as Grisha’s sounded would never get accepted at his old job. “That said, I’ll also need Eren’s assistance for a couple of weeks.” Levi narrowed his eyes at the mention of his mate. “Oh, don’t worry. I wouldn’t dream of hurting my own son.”

Just because Grisha was family didn’t mean he wouldn’t harm Eren. Levi had grown up with an uncle that put up with him because he was the only male descendent of the Ackerman line. From what Eren had told him, Grisha cared just as much if not less about his son than Kenny had of Levi. They were both pawns on a chessboard. The major difference was that Kenny desired an heir, whereas Grisha disowned his.

“For what?” he prompted, hoping for more answers.

“Oh, just some things.” The man waved offhandedly as if it was nothing important. “Family matters.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Maybe after I talk to my son.” The beta’s tone was still warm, but much subdued compared to earlier. “Would you happen to know where he is? I was hoping to borrow him for a few minutes today.”

“I cannot in good faith _loan_ you Eren.” Levi knew it was a figure of speech, but he wasn’t an object to be borrowed. It was Eren’s choice whether to go along with whatever his dad was planning. His wedding with the younger male might not have been either of their choices, but that didn’t mean he owned Eren. Unless Eren was planning something reckless and utterly insane, it wasn’t Levi place to step in and interfere. Whether he wanted to hear his slimy father’s proposition was Eren’s own choice. Meeting behind Eren’s back and subverting his autonomy was _wrong._ Even _with_ details, Levi would never have agreed to anything without consulting Eren first. Hell would have to freeze over first before he let the bastard ‘borrow’ his omega. “If you want his help, why don’t you ask him?”

“I would, but he’s ignoring my calls.”

“Then you have your answer.” Levi replied calmly. Had he known what the meeting was about, he would have ignored Grisha Yeager’s call as well. Business was business. Family matters were family matters. Any successful businessperson would know not to mix the two.

“Can’t you talk to him for me? Pass on a message from father to son?”

Levi’s eyebrow twitched in irritation. He wasn’t some errand boy. It was the man’s fault he had fucked up his relationship with his own son. But despite all the hurt and pain Eren had gone through, Levi knew that his mate was still holding out for the faintest glimmer of hope that he might once again see face-to-face with his only remaining parent. It was clear in the manner Eren had tried to defend or rationalize his father’s actions. As far as Levi was concerned, however, Grisha Yeager could take whatever it was he planned and shove it up his ass.

“Fine.” The alpha gritted out. “I’ll let him know.”

“Thank you, Levi. I knew there was a reason you were my favorite.”

“Sure.” He snorted. At times like this, having trained under Kenny’s tutelage came in handy when it came to masking his true emotions. “Just call me when you have more details. You know where my office is.”

“Of course. I hope you have a good rest of the day, Levi. And thank you again for agreeing to meet.”

“You too.” Levi could barely mask the derision he felt as he waved Grisha out of his office, though, unfortunately, not out of his life.

 

“Hey brat.” Levi sent an exhausted nod to Eren who popped out from the kitchen. His day had begun great – what day wasn’t when waking beside the green-eyed omega – and spiraled downwards from there, concluding with his disastrous meeting with Grisha.

“Hmph, welcome back, Levi.” Furrowing his brow, he could detect a small note of discord in his mate’s welcome.

“What’s wrong, Eren?”

“Nothing.”

“Yeager…”

“Fine. You were supposed to be back an hour ago.” Eren couldn’t help the whine that escaped as his husband came back late for dinner again. Levi had promised him that this time would be different. The omega knew he shouldn’t be complaining given how busy everyone was at the company, but he craved more attention from his alpha. Eren wasn’t sure why he was becoming so needy, wanting Levi by his side all the time, but he couldn’t help but want the alpha near him. “Which meeting was it this time?”

“Eren…” Levi sighed, hanging up his jacket and kneeling down to take off his shoes. They had gone over this before. Now that the fiasco with Kenny was over and many had begun to see him as his own individual, work was slowly starting to pick up. He had been working tirelessly with Erwin to see how best to address the fact they would need new people soon, even if they didn’t have the finances to hire them or the space for them yet. Things had only gotten more insane after Erwin had managed to sign a contract with one of the most up and coming biotech labs. Even _he_ wasn’t sure how or why the blond had done so. It wasn’t their area, but work and work.

“I know… I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Levi looked up to see Eren looking like a kicked puppy. The alpha howled internally, screaming to fix things. He hated seeing his mate like that. There was a small despondent smile as Eren headed back into their small apartment. “It’s okay. I get it.”

Levi practically tore off his other shoe, rushing to get inside. He could smell the scent of pasta from the kitchen, something that his omega must have made for dinner, hoping he would come back home in time. Racing after his mate, Levi grabbed Eren’s hand before he could get too far.

“Come here, brat.” Tugging on it lightly, Eren shot him a confused glance as he turned around. There was a small moment of indecision but the omega turned around and took one small step closer to him. Using his other arm, Levi pulled Eren the rest of the way, circling his arms around the stubborn brat when he got closer. “I’m sorry for being late.”

“It’s okay, Levi.” Eren hummed, leaning against him.

“Your dad came by to see me today.”

Eren froze at those words. It was as though Levi had dropped a nuke on his doorstep. It had been _months_ since he had last heard from his father. There had been no Christmas card or phone calls. Absolutely _nothing_ since Grisha had effectively disowned him following Kenny’s indictment. Eren finally managed to loosen his tongue after a few attempts. “What did he want?”

“He wouldn’t tell me, but he wants to talk to you about something.”

Eren nodded dully, mentally torn up about whether to talk to his dad again. As much as he might never forgive Grisha for causing him so much pain over the last few years, the man _was_ his father. The least he could do was hear his dad out.

“Now, Eren.” He was startled as Levi suddenly hoisted him up in a bridal carry. “Let me make it up to you.”

“What are you doing – Levi!” He would have been worried given how short Levi was if the alpha had not carried him like this before. Grisha forgotten, Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s neck, clutching tightly. “You better not drop me!”

“Tch, stupid brat.” Levi rolled his eyes. As if he would ever drop his mate.

 

“I don’t think I’ll be able to move tomorrow...” Eren let out a small yawn, curling into the soft sheets. It was only eleven at night, but His muscles were weak from the intense pleasure which had only ended a couple of minutes ago. Even if he would be able to walk and move around, his hips and lower back would definitely be sore tomorrow. Levi was insatiable and doing it standing up certainly had not helped how tired his legs felt.

“Mmm...” Levi hummed in response, not quite registering the faint murmurs.

“Levi… the food…” The words were soft. A gentle snore erupted from his sleeping husband causing him to shake his head. Eren’s ability to fall asleep on a moment’s notice was amazing.

“Fine.” Ruffling the soft brown locks, he got up from the bed to clean up the leftovers in the kitchen. Once everything was safely stored in the fridge, Levi started on the dishes. His mind drifted as his body slipped into the familiar routine of cleaning.

Levi wondered how to tell Eren. Meeting with Grisha was only the tip of the iceberg. Secrets left a distasteful taste in his mouth, but he didn’t know how his husband would react with the news.

It had been completely unintentional, but about a month ago, one of their clients had inadvertently let slip that the FDA had conducted a surprise investigation at one of the company’s satellite facilities. Nothing was discovered, which was why it hadn’t made the front pages, but the situation reminded Levi too much of what happened with Kenny. The FDA inspection might have been a random search, but after the meeting with Grisha, alarms were going off in his mind. Levi typically trusted his gut in these types of situations. It had never led him astray yet, and right now it was telling him that something was seriously amiss. All this thinking was giving him a headache and he just couldn’t figure out what the problem was.

Normally he wouldn’t give it a second thought, apart from cutting off all ties with the company, but it was a little difficult. He didn’t do business with Grisha Yeager, but there was no denying that they were in-laws and whatever happened there would have some impact on their lives.

Shutting off the hallway lights, he returned to the bed where Eren was sleeping away like he was dead to the world. Given how frequently the brat slept through his alarms, Eren most certainly was a deep sleeper. A few faint snores escaped the omega and Levi couldn’t help the small smile that formed on his face as Eren wiggled, clutching the sheets closer around himself. Frowning to himself, Levi ran a hand over his mouth, feeling the uncharacteristic upturn. Since when he had thought Eren was adorable?

Before he could contemplate the thought further, a quiet murmur interrupted.

“Levi…” The affectionate tone which Eren used caused Levi to freeze. The brat was always over the top with his fiery emotions, but Levi had never heard Eren use such an affectionate voice to call his name. They had never exchanged such words of affection before and any which had been were for the sake of publicity, such as when Kenny had been arrested and they had been tried. He certainly hadn’t said any words of love to Eren and Eren had never told him any.

Levi was afraid his heart was going to jump out of his ribcage; he could hear the loud palpitations as he fought to get his thoughts back under control. It was like he was having a heart attack and couldn’t breathe. He simply didn’t know what to think. Since leaving France, Levi had slowly learned to exist without forming strong bonds with anyone – though, Erwin and Hange had somehow slipped through – or letting his emotions dictate his actions. Kenny had been a hard man to grow up under and perfection was expected. Disobedience, whining, and even childish laughter were not tolerated within the mansion. The person he had become was the consequence of growing up being forced to live under his uncle’s thumb.

After being immersed in the corporate world for so long, he had become accustomed to taking any and everyone’s word with a grain of salt. There were far too many poisonous serpents in the swamp that were simply biding their time and waiting for the correct opportunity. Flattery was common among in his work circle and so was lying, and Levi hated both. Those who knew him well knew that doing either of them was one of the easiest ways to piss him off and tended not to do so. Some airheaded twit had once flirt heavily with Erwin and when that didn’t seem to work, tried to do the same with him. Suffice it to say, Levi had told her in no uncertain terms to fuck off. Sometimes, he wondered why or how people who live with themselves and all the lies they told. As a rule of thumb, Levi generally tried to avoid being embroiled in such situations, but there were sometimes he would have to bite the bullet and dish out a white lie for the sake of appeasing an important client.

Even so, Levi knew of two tried and true ways to get one to confess their honest feelings. Alcohol and sleep. He had inadvertently been privy to too many secrets from being around drunks, and had always made it a goal never to be found in such a situation. It was a shitty business ploy – invite the client or their subordinates to get flat out drunk and mine them for information – but more often than one thought possible. He made a concerted effort not to get too drunk – not that it was an easy task – and sleep tended to elude him.

He tried not to think too much of what was going on between him and Eren. It was very possible that he was only setting himself up for heartbreak. Levi had only loved three people in his life, all of whom he had lost. His mother had died trying to protect him, and the last time he had seen Isabel and Farlan had been more than ten years ago. He didn’t even know if they were still alive after he had been taken to the States. Kenny had forbidden him from communicating with them, worried that such unsavory connections would tarnish the family name and taint his past. And by now any trail that might have been left behind had run cold.

Levi was well aware that he wasn’t the most likable of individuals. Most people feared him on the spot and only a few people could meet his eyes. Even his friends knew enough to give him a wide berth when he was pissed off. There were a few times Eren seemed to react similarly, but by and large, Eren actually seemed to enjoy his company. Or at least sought it out more than Levi had expected. Then again, this was the brat he was thinking of. One who’s head seemed to be missing a couple of screws.

He was sure about their physical compatibility and liked Eren to a degree, but love… Hell, Levi didn’t even know when, how, or why the brat had become so important to him. Their lives were so messed up to begin with and yet Eren had never left his side. At first, it might have due to circumstance, but Eren had ample opportunity to leave, yet still elected to stay.

Over the last few weeks, Levi had come to terms with the fact that Eren riled instincts he never knew he had. He cared and was possessive over the omega to a degree, but that was largely due to them being inextricably linked as a consequence of their mating. Even then, he had told things to Eren that he had never revealed to anyone before. Levi might have been slightly intoxicated and under stress at the time, but he had never told such things to others even when he had been more drunk (which was nearly never). He had not been forced to divulge any of it, but there was something which made him want to come clean to the brat.

In Levi’s eyes, Eren was like the sun. Warm, gentle, soft, and full of life. Always laughing and smiling, and simply adorable whenever he was flustered or clumsy. It made Levi want to smile back at him. Sometimes stubborn and prideful, but even then there was a vibrancy that called out to him. Levi hated it when Eren tried to shy away and hide his thoughts and emotions; part of why he was attracted to Eren as an individual was because of how _real_ Eren was.

Levi couldn’t help smile as another gentle snore erupted next to him. No brat deserved to be as lovely as Eren was at the moment, sleeping peacefully without a care in the world. Reaching out, he braided his fingers through those messy locks, mussing the omega’s hair lightly. There was a gentle groan of protest as Eren shifted, turning his face towards (and hair away) from Levi.

He wasn’t sure what he felt for Eren, but whatever it was, it was more than he thought he would. Lately, Levi had sometimes found himself staring into space at work in the direction of Eren’s desk for no apparent reason. No one had caught him, but that didn’t mean he pleased at what his mind was doing. The alpha certainly did not know what it was about Eren Yeager that drew him to the younger omega, but whatever it was, it wasn’t going away. He had always had troubles falling asleep, particularly with someone else, but somehow it was so easy to crawl under the covers and drift asleep whenever Eren was by his side.

Shaking his head at how soft he was getting, Levi slipped out from underneath the covers to take a shower and clear his thoughts. If Kenny saw him now, his uncle would think he was getting weak.


	20. Chapter 20

“Wha-where am I?” Eren blinked blearily awake. The shadowed wooden supports on the ceiling were vaguely familiar, but the brunet couldn’t quite place his exact whereabouts or why his surroundings seemed recognizable. The last thing he recalled was… what was it again?

“Ah, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Dizzy.” He replied automatically to his dad’s question. The phrase ‘head full of cotton wool’ was an apt term to describe his state at the moment.

He tried to adjust his hands and legs and make himself more comfortable, only to find he couldn’t move them far. “What the–?” Wrenching his head sideways, he looked down to see the edges of the restraints fastened around his arms and legs. “Why am I tied up?”

“Calm down, Eren. I’ve only given you a mild sedative. You’ve been out for…” Grisha glanced at the clock beside him. “…a little over three hours.”

“What?!” The enormity of those words shocked Eren out of his mental stupor. He was supposed to be home with Levi and making dinner. Not tied up in some dank basement.

The last thing he remembered was driving to his dad’s home, being invited to the living room, and then nothing. Eren had been surprised when his father had gone around his back and sought Levi. He had listened to the voicemails left behind, but the drastic change in tone had given him pause. Eren had figured it was worth a shot after hearing Levi mentioned that his father had reached out to him. It was _his_ dad after all. Maybe there was a tiny chance they could actually reconcile their differences.

He was a naïve fool for believing so. The bastard must have drugged his seltzer water. Eren would never have voluntarily lain down and allowed himself to be trussed up like a lab rat.

“Why did you do that? And why–”

“Eren, calm down. I don’t want to have to put you under again.” The prick of a needle against his neck forced him to stop moving. “Good. Now, I know you have questions, so I’ll answer yours if you answer mine.”

Instead of worrying about his safety, Eren’s mind went in another direction. Grisha had sought Levi out previously, so there was a chance he wasn’t the only one being tied up somewhere. “What about Levi? Where is he and what you have done with him?”

“Nothing. I haven’t seen your _husband_ ,” the word was said in a way that made Eren’s skin crawl, “at all today. Ever since you came, I’ve been at home waiting for you to wake up.” His brain awoke at the mention of ‘home.’ He was trapped in the basement of his childhood home! “Besides, he was the one who agreed to this.”

“I don’t believe you!” He glared at his father who ignored the heated glance and began tinkering with something off to the side. Despite his bravado, Eren was afraid of what Grisha might do. His dad’s behavior had become more erratic over the years since his mom’s death, but it had been within the realm of normal. His dad had never resorted to drugging him before. “And Levi would never do that!”

“Fair enough. He hasn’t, but I’m sure he will when he hears what I have to say.”

“What do you mean?” Levi was the one who informed him about meeting with his father, the contents of which sounded simple enough. But doubt crept into Eren’s mind at the thought of his mate. Even though they had grown closer over the last couple of weeks, Levi had never once spoken of love.

No, Eren shook his doubts away. Levi was many things, but his mate would never deceive him. Levi abhorred lying. Both being lied to and lying to others. Eren had overheard the older male giving a scathing diatribe to a certain ‘fucking lying scumbag’ over the phone before.

“What do you think he’ll do when he finds out you’re carrying his baby?”

“What?!” Eren was on contraceptives. It was impossible for it to happen. He didn’t even know what to say.

“You really think I gave you pills to prevent pregnancy or suppress your heat, boy? Sure, I gave those to you before your marriage, but I guess you didn’t realize I switched them out midway through.” Eren blanched as his father admitted to changing his medication. No wonder the suppressants didn’t seem to work. The medications didn’t work for some people, and he thought he had just been one of those unlucky omegas. But if what his bastard of a father was telling the truth, he had simply been taking the wrong fucking thing. “And I know you two have done it, judging from your scent and the marks on your neck.”

“Huh?” Craning his head, Eren tried to detect what Grisha was talking about, but the stale basement air masked any possibility of identifying a difference. He was aware of the hickeys – Levi seemed to delight in leaving them – but not any scent changes. Everything was more or less the same as before they began having sex a little over a month ago. Admittedly, he _was_ sleeping better and ate more these days, both of which Eren attributed to his nightly activities with Levi. “What do you mean?”

“I gave you an experimental prototype meant to increase the chance of contraception outside of an omega’s heat. Prelim results from human testing indicate as high as a tenfold increase in the chance.” Hanging his mouth open, Eren couldn’t believe the words he was hearing. A small part of his mind told him to calm down and think it through. Even if the drug did what it was meant to, they had used condoms the majority of the time. But the small voice was drowned out by the other thoughts swirling around. Was that type of drug even possible? And for his own father to treat him like some guinea pig… Eren didn’t know whether he was more angry or hurt by the news. “Oh and the things you thought were suppressants? It was just acetaminophen.”

“Was any of it real…?” He asked weakly, still trying to digest everything. This had to be some kind of joke. Was nothing true anymore?

“Of course I gave you the real thing when you were younger. Wouldn’t want you slumming it in high school. You must have suspected _something_. But now that you’re pregnant, even if Kenny and the Ackermans have screwed up my plans, at least I can get something for that _thing_ growing inside you.” Grisha turned his head away, scribbling something on a pad of paper. “I wonder how much it’s worth.”

There was no way Grisha was going to get hands on his child. Even if Grisha was the one on his birth certificate and had contributed half his genes, the dark-haired, slimy bastard had no business being his father. Eren was repulsed by how the man had described his own grandchild as an object. An _it_. Given all the venomous lies and deceitful things that left the man’s vile mouth, it was impossible to tell if what the beta saying was true. But, if it was true, Eren would never let anyone harm any life growing inside him.

Not Grisha and...

The thought of Levi gave him pause. Levi had mentioned in no uncertain terms when they had first married that he wanted no part to do with any child. They had done it raw only because they were both convinced he was on contraceptives. Eren didn’t want Levi to think he had deceived him – it was his bastard father’s fault after all – but that didn’t clear his culpability. He should have sought out a second or third opinion when the suppressants didn’t seem to work. It wouldn’t have cost a fortune as such things were covered by health insurance.

“So why am I here? What do you want from me?” All pulling on the restraints did was chafe his skin, so he stopped. From Eren’s vantage point, there was no present opportunity to escape. As much as he abhorred the idea of being in such a vulnerable state, it was better to bide his time until he had a better chance of getting free.

“You’ll see.” There was a dark chuckle as Grisha rubbed his palms together. Eren certainly had not expected his meeting with his father to turn into one revelation after the next. He barely even recognized the lab coat wearing man standing next to him. “For now, I need to wait here while I prepare for our guest.” His father came back with a strap of leather in his hand. “I’m sorry, but I’ll have to gag you.”

“Mmff…” He couldn’t do anything as the strap was suddenly forced into his mouth.

“Sorry, Eren, but I can’t have you screaming and alerting the neighbors.” There was a wry smile after the bastard made sure it was securely fastened. “All this would be much easier if you would simply agree.”

Glaring at his father, Eren wished he had never been persuaded by the lying bastard to visit. There was no way in hell he would agree to what the hateful asshole had planned. Unfortunately, he had little say in the matter as Grisha walked back up the stairs and shut the door behind him.

Staring up in darkness, he wished he hadn’t agreed to visit his dad. That he wasn’t stuck in the basement and was instead safely at home.

Home with Levi.

Eren had come to terms that he was in love with his husband. He wasn’t sure when it had happened. It certainly was not something suddenly he suddenly woke up with, but had crept up on him. A vague sensation that had grown over days and could no longer be ignored. It was new enough of an insight that Eren had not had the time to collect himself and confess his feelings. And if things continued the way they were, he might never have a chance to do so.

The thought crushed him. If Eren knew things were going to end up this way, with him tied in the basement, he would have confessed. Even _if_ he were to end up being rejected. If anything happened to him, Levi would never know. The alpha might seem cold, but he wasn’t cruel and heartless like Eren had originally thought.

The remembrance of his husband brought a surge of hope to his chest. Levi knew he was coming to visit Grisha and would undoubtedly search for him if something was wrong.

But the silence seemed to stretch forever. It was difficult to gauge how much time had passed, causing the spark of hope in his heart to gradually darken. Fighting back the waves of helplessness crashing over him, Eren’s struggles suddenly stopped as the voice of a familiar baritone filtered down.

 

* * *

 

“Ah, Levi. Come on in, I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

Levi had to hold back the snarl that formed in his throat at the sickly sweet gesture Grisha made to invite him in. If it weren’t for the asshole in front of him, Eren would already be home and he wouldn’t have to deal with the asshole. Eren had left after lunch to visit his dad and had mentioned being back later to make dinner. It was now half past seven and he was still missing.

Typically the police needed more than forty-eight hours before opening a missing person’s case, but as luck would have it, they were already investigating Grisha on grounds of illegal human experimentation. Levi had leapt upon it and told them what he knew about Grisha’s company and Eren’s disappearance. Having text messages from Eren and GPS tracking on the omega’s phone were points in Levi’s favor. Whether it was coincidence or luck, they had agreed to his suggestion. Levi _was_ slated to meet with Grisha eventually, so it was a win-win situation. Right now, Trost’s finest were waiting on standby right down the block. His job was to establish contact, ensure Eren’s presence and safety, and if possible, get back out with both of them alive.

Levi cut immediately to the chase. “No need, I’m here for Eren. Where is he?” He had no patience for pleasantries. His only concern was for Eren.

“I thought your uncle taught you better than that.” The reminder of Kenny made Levi bristle. Grisha already angered him by abducting his mate, so pretending to be civilized was a waste of time. Nothing the man could say or do would change Levi’s mind. He _would_ get his mate back, and then destroy the rank bastard in front of him. “Why don’t you come on in and we can talk for a bit first?”

“Fine.” Following the older man inside, Levi composed himself once more. Dropping himself on a chair, he propped his feet on the coffee table, pretending to stay calm when in fact he was ready to beat the fucker up.

“So what makes you think Eren is with me?”

“I can smell him.” Levi shrugged. The scent of cleaning agents lingered, but he could still detect the slightest trace of Eren’s unique fragrance flittering about.

“Ah, I forgot how attuned mated pairs’ are to each other’s scents.” The greasy-haired man didn’t even blink. “But why do you want him back so badly? It’s not like you love him or anything, do you?”

“Tch, no.” Levi clicked his tongue dismissively.

It was more challenging than he thought, faking that he didn’t hold some degree of affection for Eren. His heart was in physical pain.

But for his plan to work, he had to act the part of an uncaring, selfish bastard. Levi trusted that the piece of shit wouldn’t really kill his son no matter how warped he was, but he still needed to make Grisha truly believe that Eren was worthless to him. Doing so was the only way Levi could ensure Eren’s safety. The beta would never reveal Eren’s whereabouts if he believed Levi cared. “You know how the public reacts to these kinds of things. If he’s by my side, they see me as a family man and trust me that much more.”

The other option would be to have the slimy bastard implicate himself in wrongdoing or malpractice. Levi had willingly put on a wiretap, but having Grisha say the words would be a solid confession. Levi was one hundred percent sure Grisha Yeager was responsible for Eren’s kidnapping, but that was hard to corroborate in the courts as long as his husband’s whereabouts were unknown. As it was, the beta could simply say he invited Eren over and he never showed. His words would be irrefutable as no one could get in contact with Eren currently. They only had one shot and Levi fully intended to use it right.

“Ah yes, those pesky reporters.” The devious glint in Grisha’s eyes told him that he hadn’t quite completely bought into the lie yet. “And what of the babe?”

“What babe?” Not wanting to lose control the upper hand, Levi allowed a tinge of genuine curiosity leak through his otherwise flat tone, and raised a brow in question. As his rotten uncle used to say, ‘never expect to be holding all the cards, but always pretend that whatever the other side brings out doesn’t matter until you can fully spin it to your own advantage.’ And Levi was doing exactly that, playing the role of an uncaring husband whose only concern was for his own well-being and that of his company’s with Eren and any child coming dead last in terms of importance.

“He’s carrying your child, you know.”

“Really now…” Easily schooling his expression with practiced ease, Levi refused to let his surprise show. Internally, his mind was rapidly churning out explanations. Pregnancy made no sense as Eren was on contraceptives, but that wasn’t his primary concern. In spite of how good a parent Eren would be to their child – fussing over their baby, singing lullabies, and telling stories to him or her – Eren’s pregnancy was a liability. And in order to convince Grisha it was the case, Levi first needed to convince himself that he didn’t care.

Shrugging nonchalantly, Levi leaned back in his seat and picked at his finger nails, feigning the act of an indolent playboy. He had never been one, but he had never claimed to be a saint either. Insofar as his marriage was concerned, Levi had never cheated, but in the early months before shit hit the fan, such rumors had surfaced whenever he was seen walking with a female (and sometimes male) business associate. Levi wasn’t sure how much Grisha was aware of, but living with Kenny had taught him a few things. “Guess I’ll have to get rid of the kid somehow. I’m sure there’s a drug somewhere that’ll cause the brat to miscarry. But god damn he was an amazing fuck. Wrapped around my cock and moaning like a slut.”

“Watch your mouth, young man. That’s my son you’re talking about.” Levi hid his smirk at the outraged tone Grisha used. That little slip told him everything he needed to know. He hadn’t been sure how far Grisha’s paternal streak stretched, but it was enough. The moment his emotions took over was the moment Levi knew he had the upper hand.

“Why? He’s my mate after all. I can’t wait to have him back and fuck him senseless.” The bored drawl with a hint of lust was some of his best acting yet. Looking down at his shirt and picking at some nonexistent speck of dust, Levi kept a careful eye on his target, watching older male’s reaction from under his lashes. “Feel that slick, hot cavern swallow me whole as I fill him with cum.”

“Ackerman…” If looks could kill, the blazing fury in Grisha’s eyes certainly would do so.

“Calm your tits, old man.” Levi replied smoothly, as though he hadn’t just stirred up the hornet’s nest. Saying those words had been easy – there was a grain of truth to most of what he had said – but pretending to _feel_ them had been difficult. Sex with Eren was amazing, but sleeping with Eren was more than just sex. Levi had known lust, but he had never cared for his partner’s well-being until Eren came along. The omega was a special existence to him.

Thankfully, Levi had more than enough practice with hiding his emotions after all those years of dealing with Kenny. As much as he loathed lying, the tactic was highly effective. Grisha seemed to have bought into the story, his face contorting into an interesting mask of anger and disgust. Taking the opportunity while he was emotionally unhinged, Levi changed the topic, knowing that the snake would prefer it over their current train of conversation. “Looks like this isn’t going anywhere, so why don’t we continue our conversation from last week?”

“Ah yes,” Grisha adjusted his glasses, relief clear on his face. “I thought you weren’t interested in a partnership?”

“Thing change, people change.” he shrugged. Based on what the man had hinted before, there was a tiny chance it was related to Eren’s kidnapping. “Though you’ll have to be more specific. I’m still not convinced.”

“So you’re saying you don’t trust your father-in-law?”

Levi wanted to roll his eyes at the obvious statement. “Tch, our relationship isn’t important.” In fact, it was practically nonexistent. Grisha was as foreign to him as a stranger on the street. “As a businessman, it’s only prudent I know what’s going on.”

“A business man like your uncle?”

“Kenny Ackerman might have been my uncle, but I’m nothing like him.” He had long since gotten used to being compared to his psychopathic uncle. As grateful as Levi was towards his uncle for giving him a fresh start, there were so many other things Levi could have lived without. “You weren’t the only one fucked over when shit exploded.”

“Of course.” There was an undercurrent of skepticism in the man’s voice and Levi didn’t blame him. No one wanted a repeat of _that_ fiasco, least of all Levi, but he refused to allow the situation to even come close to what had happened with his uncle. For one, once Eren was safe and sound, he would personally hand Grisha’s ass over to the damn cops. “The partnership I proposed will make us both very rich men, Levi.”

“So you’ve said.” Levi tapped on the arm of his chair. The way Eren’s dad kept dodging around the issue made him suspect the man was hiding something. Anything that fishy was either illegal or a scam. It was no wonder Yeager Pharmaceuticals was being investigated. “But you still haven’t revealed any details or why you need your own son.”

“That’s the beauty of this. It’s a drug that breaks the mating bond.” Grisha finally gave in.

“What?” His hackles immediately rose at the suggestion. Eren was indispensable. Levi didn’t want _his_ mate being part of some sick experiment that could end up with _his_ omega sick, dead, or unmated to him. His husband wasn’t some test specimen. The thought was utterly sick. “That’s impossible.”

“Not really. I based my prototype on a study by this group in Europe which suggested that repressing the pheromones for long enough might stop the bond. It works similar to how mammalian estrus works, except in reverse.” Levi slowly counted upwards in multiples of three as he calmed his breathing. “And I’ll need your help with that.”

“Go on.” The words were wrenched from his teeth. But without knowing the man’s full plan and whether Eren was safe or not, he couldn’t make a move. It would be too rash.

“I only need you to _loan_ me Eren for a few weeks. I have the prototype ready and need someone to test it on. If this works, we’re looking at a substantial windfall.”

“And what of the side effects?” He was going to tear Grisha apart, limb by limb, when this was all over. What kind of twisted monster used his son for an experiment? Now that he knew what the man was planning, though, Levi mentally promised that the sick bastard’s plan was never coming to fruition. The police would move in as soon as they knew Eren’s status and location.

“That’s what I need Eren for.” Beady eyes watched him carefully, assessing whether Levi was on his side or not. “Why don’t you watch me administer the first dose? It’ll give me an idea of whether it’s working or not. And you would be able to see that what I’m saying is true.”

“When would this be?” The sooner, the better. But he didn’t want to seem too eager and alert the man of his true plans. Levi’s hands itched with the need to pummel Grisha’s skull into the ground. Balling his hands discreetly into fists, it was all he could do to refrain from bash the bastard’s head in. His inner animal howled for blood.

“What about right now?”

“Sounds fine to me.”

Following closely behind Eren’s father, Levi had a difficult time restraining himself from attacking the other man now that he knew where Eren was. But who knew what kind of sick thing the man had done to his mate. It was a good thing he hadn’t lashed out as Grisha pulled a key from his wrist and unlocked a nondescript door in kitchen.

The beta tugged on a small string against the wall, and a small click later, there was a flicker as the light bulb lit up, illuminating the way down the dusty stairs. Levi’s inner alpha immediately caught scent of Eren, his muscles burning with the need to rush down and ensure his mate’s safety. Instead of acting on those instincts, he acted like nothing was out of the ordinary as he followed Grisha down the stairs.

“Here we are.” Grisha was almost proud as he displayed his son on the operating table.

It was impossible to suppress the growl that escaped him at the sight of Eren bound and gagged on the operating table. The fire in those green eyes burned ever so brightly as the omega struggled anew. Hearing the frightened whimpers as Eren thrashed against his restraints and smelling his mate’s fear sent Levi over the edge.

“You fucker!” Grabbing the collar of Grisha’s shirt, Levi shoved him _hard_. “You call this okay?!” Rushing towards the fallen man, Levi released the bubbling rage inside him. There was a nasty crunch as he struck Grisha in the face. “You sick bastard!”

Breathing heavily, Levi was prepared to strike again when he realized the other man hadn’t moved. Dropping the unconscious lump, he rushed to the table. Quickly slipping the leather restraints and gag off, he pulled Eren upright and into his chest, crushing the omega in a tight embrace.

“Fuck, you’re safe.” Levi breathed in the tart cinnamon scent, holding his mate close. For a moment Eren was merely slack in his arms, but after a moment, the omega began to struggle. He loosened his grip, but still kept Eren close enough to feel Eren’s warmth against his. “What’s wrong?”

“What do you want from me, Levi?” All he wanted to do was crawl into those arms once more, but Eren had heard every single word that Levi had said to his father. Levi had made it clear in no uncertain terms that he didn’t love him.

“What do you mean?” There was a confused look on Levi’s face. “I just want you back.”

“Really?” Eren was sick and tired of being used for these games. First his father had used him to better his company and look what had happened. Then there was Kenny Ackerman who was imprisoned for life because of all his money laundering and dirty business practices.

And Levi…

Levi had been the first person he had let into his heart after his mother died and Eren didn’t know what to think or do. Those words Levi said tore his world apart. His entire life was crumbling around him. He knew his husband was rude and callous, often making offhand derogatory remarks, but Eren never imagined the man would do him any harm. Levi’s bedside manner sometimes left a little to be desired, but he had trusted and liked Levi.

In fact, Eren was ninety-nine percent sure he _loved_ his husband.

“I heard what you were saying to my dad. Y-You just wa-want…” Eren’s breath hitched, unable to finish the sentence. It was difficult to prevent a few tears from leaking out. He had nearly wept in relief when he heard Levi, but those hopes turned to ice from the conversation between his husband and father. That Levi hadn’t immediately shut down the grotesque idea of drugging him to break their bond only hit harder.

“Eren, those were all lies. I needed him to believe me, so I could find you.” Levi clutched onto those shaking hands, hoping Eren would believe him. He hadn’t expected the sound of their conversation to carry so far.

“B-but… you don’t even l-lov…” Eren’s breath hitched as he stumbled on the last word.

Despite flubbing up, it was clear what Eren wanted to say. In the back of Levi’s mind, there was no question about what he felt for Eren, but voicing it was another matter. Right now, however, his thoughts were consumed by the need to get Eren to safety and checked out by a doctor. He had been on edge when Eren hadn’t returned home in time, and seeing Eren bound and gagged on the medical table was excruciating.

“Why don’t we talk about this later, Eren? Let’s get out of here first.” Levi gently wrapped his arm around the omega’s waist, but Eren only pulled away.

“No, you’re just going to use that time to come up with some story I want to hear!” As much as Eren wanted out of the basement, his emotions were completely all over the place right now.

Eren was pissed off at his father for trapping him down here. Angry at Levi for even sounding interested in such a horrid scheme. But most of all, he was scared that Levi that didn’t love him and wanted him gone.

But he didn’t let that fear show. He _couldn’t._

“Damn it, Eren.” There was a frustrated sigh as Levi managed to pull him into another embrace.

“L-l-let me go, Levi.” Although it hurt him to say it, Eren needed to be alone. Being enveloped in Levi’s arms was warm and comforting. All he wanted was to curl up next to and snuggle with his mate, but it was dangerous. Eren refused to be lulled into a false sense of security. He needed his head clear to think things through and figure out what he was going to do. It was precisely because he had been too trusting that he had gotten kidnapped and heard all those terrible words. “I c-can’t be around you right now…”

“Eren…” Levi knew he was losing Eren. The brat was far too stubborn by half and any direct attempts to persuade him otherwise would only cause Eren to pull away further.

“There’s no reason to lie, Levi. _I_ love you, but you made it clear that you don’t lo-love me…” All Eren needed was one person to see him for who he was. He thought Levi had been that one person, but it seemed like that was another lie. It was okay if Levi didn’t love him – that could always change and he had been certain there had been something between them – but he hadn’t expected Levi to _loathe_ him.

“But I _do_ love you, brat.” Levi stressed, wrapping his arms around his mate’s core gently. Now that he had said those words and admitted what he had suspected for weeks, he knew they were true. The shitty brat had somehow managed to infiltrate the highly guarded walls he had around his heart. “Even if it doesn’t seem like it.”

“You’re just trying to confuse me.” Eren huffed, squirming in the hold, but not moving or struggling enough to break free. He wanted to believe Levi, he really did, but it was hard to given all those hurtful words he had heard. “You just want me for my body.”

“I’ll admit I love your body and how amazing the sex is.” Levi stole the opportunity to embrace Eren more firmly. “But more than that, Eren.” He spun the omega around, cupping Eren’s face and looking straight into those eyes which looked on the verge of tears. Stroking those soft cheeks, Levi wanted nothing more than to snuggle up to his mate and rub their scent glands together. “I love those bright green eyes when they look at me. The small dimples when you smile. The gentle snores when you sleep. I love everything about you, Eren. Even the fact that you’re a stubborn shitty brat.”

Eren’s stubbornness was working against him at the moment, but Levi couldn’t be bothered to care. Anything was better than fearing for his mate’s life and safety.

“Liar…” Eren sniffed, trying to stop the tears that were leaking out at the reminder of the loving nights he had spent with his mate. The nights he had thought were real, during which even if Levi hadn’t said ‘I love you,’ he had believed the man had felt some affection for him. He really loved his husband, and it hurt so much that none of this was real. Eren really wished that the words were true and that Levi loved him, but he had heard the truth when Levi man had talked to Grisha. He could withstand being ignored or yelled at, but not such a bald-faced falsehood.

“I’m not lying, brat.” Gently, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over those swollen eyelids, Levi licked away the salty tears that had leaked down his mate’s face. Hearing those words get flung back in his face hurt, but his heart ached more at seeing Eren cry. The scents he was releasing certainly weren’t calming Eren down. He had no experience with any of this touchy-feely shit and he certainly did not know what had caused his mate to be so upset. Levi would have imagined Eren to be thankful and happy his love was reciprocated. “I don’t just step in a potentially deadly situation to rescue anyone, Eren.”

“But…”

“Here, look in my eyes and tell me that I’m lying.” He cupped Eren’s face, tilting his mate’s face towards him. There was a small sniffle as those crystalline green eyes faced him.

“Levi, I-I…”

Before they could get any further, a groan erupted from behind them.

Whirling around, Levi’s face twisted in anger when he found Grisha using the cabinets to leverage himself to standing position, blocking the exit. In retrospect, it was stupid to attack and leave Grisha at the foot of the stairs, but Levi had been too concerned for Eren’s safety and hadn’t been thinking right. “Stay away from Eren, you son of a bitch.”

“I really hoped it wouldn’t come to this.”

“Tch, don’t do anything stupid,” Levi snapped, pushing his mate behind his body. He cursed his lack of height, feeling Eren tremble behind him. There was no way the filthy bastard was getting his hands on his mate. Grisha would have to kill Levi and walk over his dead body before testing such fuckery on his omega.

“Stupid? Like how you assaulted me in my own home?”

“You were the one who kidnapped _my_ mate!” The man was twisted if he thought such a weak defense would stand in a court of law.

“He came to visit me of his own accord.” Grisha labored to take another breath. “Didn’t you, Eren?” Beady eyes darted to towards the omega hiding behind Levi.

“Y-you were the one that drugged and kidnapped me!” Eren emerged from behind Levi and retorted angrily. He might be an omega, but Eren wasn’t going to let that define who he was. He was his own individual, not the bargaining chip his father had first used to secure a relationship with Levi’s family.

“Ah, but it was for your own good. You weren’t happy being married off to the Ackermans, so I was trying to undo the damage I had done.”

“Liar.” Despite the brat’s bravado, Levi could feel the tremors which passed from Eren’s hand onto his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Eren.” Levi whispered, ushering his mate behind him as he gently stroked the palm of Eren’s hand with is thumb. Growling at the deranged doctor, he figured it was time to reveal his trump card. “You can shove those lies up your ass. The cops will be here any moment.” They were likely right outside the door waiting for him and Eren to get out before bursting in.

“Well then, I’m afraid, you leave me no choice.” Grisha’s hand reached into his pocket.

Fearing the worse, Levi pushed the brunet to the side. “Get down, Eren!”

Before he could take a step forward to stop the man, though, several bangs rang out.

“FUCK!” A searing pain tore through Levi’s right shoulder. Staggering, Levi clutched at his shoulder, struggling through the pain in his body and seeing a smoking gun in Grisha’s hand.

“Levi!” Eren screamed, immediately reaching for him, but Levi wouldn’t have any of that. He propelled forward, channeling all the anxiety, fear, and rage that had accumulated since Eren went missing. There was absolutely no need to hold back. He was out for blood this time. Luckily, the previous attack had disoriented the beta as he staggered, causing the remaining shots to miss. There was a nasty crash and medical equipment smashed to the ground as he tackled Grisha.

The slimeball would never pose a threat normally, but Levi couldn’t use his dominant arm without exacerbating his injury. Pain rushed up his arm as he drew back to punch Grisha, and the man took that opportunity to shove at his wounded shoulder.

“Fuck.” Levi hissed, staggering backwards in pain. But it wasn’t enough to stop him as he lunged forward again.

The sound of his alpha in pain jolted Eren back to reality. Everything had happened so quickly. He barely had any time to process any of it. He had been stunned his _dad_ had pulled a gun on them. The ferocity Levi showed attacking Grisha was another thing that made it that much more unreal. The two men tussled on the ground exchanging blows. Levi was stronger, but the combination of blood loss and pain must have been getting to his mate.

“Levi! Are you okay?” Eren rushed forward when his husband was suddenly shoved back and crashed at the foot of the table.

“Damn it, stay back!”

Stopping in his tracks, Eren winced as Levi threw himself onto his assailant. There was another nasty crash as the two men staggered into the table. A glint of something shiny in Grisha’s hand caught his eye and he yelled out. “Levi, watch out!” But it was too late. He watched with horror as the syringe descended straight into his mate.

Levi barely heard Eren’s words when he felt the needle plunge into his chest. Shoving with all his might, he managed to throw Grisha back. There was a loud crash of glass shattering as the beta fell against a shelf stacked with beakers and other chemicals.

Levi lurched sideways, hands grasping onto the medical table. Was it just him or was the room spinning? What the fuck had been in that needle with?

“Levi!” Eren rushed to his husband’s side. “Are you okay?”

“Fuck. Room’s spinning…” Dully, he could make the sound of footsteps pounding above him. The last thing Levi saw before the world went dark was the sight of Eren’s panicking face.


	21. Chapter 21

Grasping onto the cool hand, Eren felt tears threatening to erupt. It had been his fault for getting Levi injured. If they had left the basement instead of staying as he had demanded, Levi would be unharmed. Instead, his mate was lying comatose on the hospital bed. And had been for the better part of the day.

The doctors had successfully removed the bullet and stitched his husband up last night, but Levi still hadn’t woken. Had it been a simple bullet wound and minor bruising, Levi should have already awakened, but the doctors said he had been injected with an unknown quantity of sedatives and other chemicals. There weren’t any anticipated long-term effects – all of them were known to be metabolized within a couple of days – but syringe’s contents were made more effective from the blood loss Levi had suffered. The combination of the two made it unclear when the dark-haired man would wake up.

If not for the machines beeping and the faint rise and fall of Levi’s chest, Eren would have thought that his mate was gone. Levi was paler than usual and his skin was cool to the touch. The alpha’s face had a ghastly gray pallor reminiscent of death.

The omega hadn’t realized he could be so lonely without his alpha. He missed Levi with a vengeance and the longer his dark-haired mate remained comatose, the more it hurt. There was a Levi-shaped hole in Eren’s chest that could never be filled. What Levi had told his dad didn’t matter at all. All Eren wanted to see was that fierce silvery gaze which made his knees buckle and desire to throw all caution to the wind. Clutching onto the pale hand was all he could do at the moment though.

Maybe it was cowardice, but Eren wasn’t prepared to know what Levi thought of him. Levi _had_ confessed in the basement, but it could have been a spur of the moment thing. Emotions and adrenaline were both running high. As much as he wanted to hear those words again, Eren wanted nothing more than to have Levi wake up. It didn’t matter if his mate hadn’t meant it. As long as Levi remainedunconscious, the distance between their hearts would not be resolved.

Eren could still remember the moment the doctor stepped out of the operating room, wheeling a pale and unconscious Levi behind him.

 _“How is he?” Levi_ had _to be okay. Eren would never forgive himself otherwise._

_His bloodstained clothes had been replaced, but he could still remember the crimson spreading on Levi’s shirt and soaking into his own. Levi certainly was short, but his mate possessed a fierce aura that demanded others to bow to him. There was none of that when the alpha had collapsed against him. Levi would hate being called frail, but that was how he appeared in Eren’s eyes. His husband’s broad back had never been so small before._

_The police had taken his statement while he waited, but it would be an open-and-shut case with the recording from Levi’s wire. Grisha had gotten killed when resisting arrest and the cops told him they wouldn’t be charging Levi with anything. Eren was thankful for how easily it was dealt with at least._

_There was also the issue of what to do with his father’s assets, chief amongst them, his holdings in the company. Grisha had not named anyone to take his place in the company, meaning that as his father’s only child, Eren was the legal heir. He didn’t want to inherit a company that had caused him so much grief, and thankfully nothing would move forward until the police and FDA investigations were complete. His supposed inheritance could be worthless by the time they were done, but it might be easier that way. Unlike Levi, he had never been groomed for the position._

_“We’re still not sure what he was injected with, so we’ll have to wait for the toxicology to come through before anything definitive.” Moblit smiled sympathetically at him. “We did manage to remove the bullet – nothing critical was injured – but between the two things, I would recommend him staying at least a week in the hospital. Preferably two.”_

_"Whatever you recommend.” Eren nodded vigorously, watching the gurney with his husband being wheeled down the hall. He would tie Levi to the hospital bed if he didn’t cooperate! Anything was okay as long as his mate got better. It was a relief to know the bullet was gone, but doctor’s prognosis hadn’t completely assuaged his anxiety. “Can I see him?”_

_“We’re bringing him to his own room in ICU, but once he’s settled, of course.” One member of the hospital called out to Moblit who nodded. “Why don’t you follow me, Eren? I’ll bring you over right now actually.”_

He would never forget the sight of Levi lying on the hospital bed white as a sheet with a large bandage wrapped over his shoulder.

“Um,” A voice interrupted his thoughts. “I understand he’s your husband, but I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave.” The nurse’s voice sounded. “Visiting hours are over. You can come back at eight tomorrow morning.”

“Okay, just give me one moment.”

Grasping onto Levi’s hands, Eren prayed fiercely that his husband would wake up soon. “I love you, Levi.” Eren whispered, tears glistening in the corner of his eyes as he pressed his lips against the pale hand. _Please wake up soon. I miss you._

As always, there was no reply. There was only the faint beeping of the machines. The nurse shot him a sympathetic glance as he stood up and pulled on his jacket. “The doctors said Mr. Ackerman should be awake in the next few days at the latest.”

“Okay…” That’s what they had said immediately post-op, but everything was only a best guess at this point. There were no solid promises.

Hange had informed him when he arrived that the needle had been filled with a potent mix of sedatives and hormones similar to, but not quite the same as though found in an omega’s suppressants. They suspected the concoction was meant to make one more susceptible to other drugs while rendering the patient comatose. Even though Levi had a stronger immune system and higher count of catecholaminergic neurotransmitters, both of which assisted with an alpha’s strength and power, the drugs seriously had compromised his system.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.” Squeezing Levi’s hand, Eren mouthed the words silently, pecking his mate on the cheek.

 

* * *

 

“Nhnnn…” Levi groaned, slowly blinking awake and trying to sit up as a searing pain shot up his shoulder. Where the fuck was he? “Where the fuck am I?”

“Oh good, you’re awake!” A female voice chirped. Turning his head, Levi caught sight of a nurse. “You’ve been asleep for more than three days. You’re in Trost General right now. How are you feeling Mr. Ackerman?”

“Like shit.” He felt like someone had run his arm over with a truck and then stitched him together only to rip it off again. Twisting his head, he could see the giant white bandage wrapped around his shoulder and the IV needle sticking out of his arm. “What time is it?”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. It’s six in the morning right now.” She bustled about changing one of those weird bags hanging near his head. Levi followed the plastic tube back to a needle attached to his arm. “Do you need anything right now?”

The only thing he needed was to know where Eren was and whether his mate was safe. Levi was spared the effort of replying when a brown-haired individual he was well-acquainted with popped in. “Levi!” Unfortunately, it wasn’t the brunet he was hoping to see. “Munchkin, you’re awake!”

“Fuck off, Shitty Glasses.” He replied weakly, still very much exhausted from his ordeal.

“Umm, Dr. Zoe?” The nurse shot him a concerned glance.

“He’s always like that.” Hange waved off the comment, nodding in satisfaction as they took the clipboard from her. “Helen, why don’t you go check on Ms. Tomkins?” They turned back from instructing the nurse elsewhere to check on him. “How are you doing, grumpy?”

“Fine.” He gritted out. Levi didn’t have the patience to deal with the crazy doctor right now. All he wanted to do was see Eren and check on how his mate was doing. The last thing he remembered before finding himself at the hospital was the sight of Eren of yelling at him and the sound of footsteps all around them. “How’s Eren?”

“He’s looking a bit worn, but that’s expected. He’s been at your side the last few days.” For once, Hange acted the part as they checked his chart. “We had to make him leave since visiting hours were over, but he’ll probably be back in a few hours. He’s been here every day since you’ve been admitted.”

Good. As much as he wished Eren was by his side, the omega would get better rest at home than in the hospital.

But the thought of Eren being by himself sent a frisson through him. “And Grisha?” If the bastard wasn’t dead or behind bars already, Levi would rip him limb from limb, shoulder be damned.

“I’ll let Eren explain everything, but he’s out of the picture.” Levi sighed in relief at the answer. All that mattered was for Eren to be safe.

A glasses-wearing face popped into his view and he glared. “So why the fuck are you here?”

“It’s only been three days, Levi! Have you forgotten I work here?” Crazy Glasses was aghast and looked as though they were going to add another note on his chart. The last thing he wanted or needed was for them to make a note about memory loss or some other mental affliction and force him to visit them in the hospital.

“I thought you were in psychiatry.”

“I’m so glad you remembered!” They clapped their hands excitedly. “But you’re absolutely correct! Moblit dearie,” Levi gagged at the overly affectionate nickname they had for their colleague, “is your actual doctor. I’m just checking on you before my shift here. Aren’t you glad to see me?”

“No.” He would much rather see a normal doctor than a crazy one.

“Well, you’ll be seeing a lot of me!”

 _Well fuck…_ That was the last thing Levi wanted to deal with. Being stuck in a hospital was bad enough. Being stuck in a hospital with Hange was even worse. And he couldn’t even lock them out.

“So, tell me, munchkin. How could you let such a thing happen?” They plopped down on the seat next to him.

“What thing?” Maybe it was the drugs, but it was difficult making sense of their nonsense.

“Why getting shot, of course!” They looked at him as if he was insane. Had it been another person, Levi might have seriously considered it. But it was Hange. Who was certifiably crazy.

“It was me or him.” Levi tried to shrug, but the movement didn’t play well with the wound in his shoulder. Protecting Eren and getting his mate out alive had been his only concern. And there were only two routes out: incapacitating Grisha or waiting for the cops. The latter was highly unlikely as it was a hostage situation, meaning that the former was the only choice.

“Aww… protecting your precious cinnamon bun? How noble of you.” Hange cooed, pressing their hands to their chest. “When did you grow a heart, Levi?”

“Fuck you, Four-eyes.” Why was the escaped mental patient even here? Knowing people in the medical field had its advantages, but Hange was another matter altogether. Trost General wasn’t Levi’s first choice of hospitals, solely because of Hange’s presence, but it _was_ better than the other intercity hospitals or clinics.

Despite Hange’s craziness and his unwillingness to see them, it was better than the alternative of sitting around and doing nothing. It kept his mind off things and the fact that Eren wasn’t here – _yet_. Although Levi understood Eren had no choice in the matter, he was a little upset that the brat had left.

 

* * *

 

Eren’s eyes fluttered open at the feel of someone running their hands through his hair. The gesture was soft and comforting, and he happily curled closer to the source of warmth. “Mmm… lemme sleep some more, Levi.”

“Tch, you were snoring, brat.” Raising his head, Eren half-expected to see Levi’s face near his, but instead he saw the well-known eggshell blue of a hospital gown.

“Levi! You’re awake!” Quickly blinking off the remnants of drowsiness, Eren couldn’t help the giant sigh of relief at seeing Levi awake. And sitting up. Hange had mentioned that he had woken earlier in the morning, but by the time Eren arrived, Levi had fallen back asleep. “How are you feeling? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Levi sounded tired, but knowing his mate was awake was enough for him.

“Le-Levi, I’m so sorry… If I hadn’t gotten kidnapped or forced you to stay, no-none of this would have happened.” It was as though all the stress had suddenly flooded out turning Eren into a blubbering mess. “I’m so–”

“Stop apologizing, brat.”

“B-but…”

“I’m just glad you’re okay, Eren.” Nodding was all Eren could manage as Levi’s gentle _uninjured_ hand came up to cup his face. He held on tightly as if Levi would slip away when he wasn’t watching. “Are you okay?”

“Mhm.” Everything was perfect now that Levi was awake again. “I should be the one asking you that question. Are you okay, Levi?”

“I’m fine.” There was a trace of wariness as the grey eyes watched him. “We never got to finish the conversation in the basement, did we?”

“N-no…” Eren had completely forgotten about the conversation in the basement. He had been too worried about Levi's recovery to properly think about the events. His poor excuse of a dad had interrupted before things could be resolved back then. Now that several days had passed and his emotions were no longer all over the place – all he felt was relief that Levi was on the mend – dredging up the conversation actually worried him a bit.

“Are you still angry with me, Eren?”

“No. I know why you said what you said.” Eren tried to remain calm as he answered. He had had days to mull it over, and the words his alpha had spoken made sense. Remembering them still stung, but Grisha would never have revealed his location, let alone shown Levi the way, if he hadn’t believed that Levi didn’t care. “He would never have showed you the basement otherwise.”

Levi hummed softly before shifting to turn and face him. “What about the other thing then?”

“What other thing?” Eren’s memory was still slightly fuzzy no thanks to just waking up from the short nap, but also because so much had happened.

“Tch, shitty brat.” There was a quiet scoff. “‘I love you’ ring any bells?”

 _Oh_.

Eren had been so angry he had almost forgotten about Levi’s proclamation of love. “D-did you mean it?” He squeaked, staring at the metal railing, unable to face Levi in case the alpha denied it.

“When have I ever lied to you, brat?”

Levi had never lied to him. The alpha often swore, made and issued threats, but never lied to Eren. Levi was the type of person who would rather tell a person they looked butt ugly rather than lie and spare a person’s feelings.

“T-then…” Biting his lip hesitantly, Eren turned his head up to peek at those silvery black eyes. “…you love me?”

“Tch, you little shit.” Levi gently wrestled his hand away, cupping Eren’s face and running his thumb over those chapped lips. “Of course.”

“Ummm… I love you too.” He shyly admitted. Taking the opportunity with Levi’s finger so closed to his mouth, Eren pressed a gentle kiss to the alpha’s palm. Though nothing could describe his relief at knowing Levi was on the mend, his heart was bursting with emotion at the thought that his alpha _loved_ him.

He was confused when Levi’s hand wove through his hair and pulled his head lower. “Levi?”

“Kiss me already, shitty brat.” Hesitant green eyes stared down at Levi for a moment longer before Eren’s lips met his. A warm puff of breath feathered against his face as Eren leaned back. Crooning gently, Levi wrapped a hand around his omega’s neck, pulling Eren down to deepen their kiss. Gently sucking on pliant flesh, Levi could taste the refreshing hint of spearmint toothpaste.

Cool fingertips skated against his skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps in their wake. Eren hadn’t known the back of his neck had been so sensitive until this moment. The sounds of his quiet whine were swallowed by Levi. Lips captured his, nibbling lightly on his lips. He reciprocated the action, sliding his hand against his husband’s uninjured shoulder as he deepened the kiss.

It contained none of the urgency their previous kisses had. But it was no less passionate. Instead of being colored by lust and need, it was shaded with emotion and love. Like two lost souls coming together as one. Green and grey stared at each other for a moment, taking a moment to regain their breath before meshing together.

Sliding his tongue out, Eren he slid it between Levi’s lips, feeling the rough glide of the alpha’s hot flesh entwine his. Shutting his eyes, he slotted his face closer to Levi’s, combing his fingers through those silky black locks. Opening his mouth, he sucked lightly on his mate’s heated flesh and was rewarded with the sound of Levi groaning lightly.

Too far lost one another, the mated pair did not hear the distinct pair of footsteps approach them.

“Woah! Slow down kiddies!” Hange’s voice rang out. Eren immediately pulled back, flushing as he did, but Levi only snorted.

“Do you mind, Shitty Glasses?”

“Normally I would cheer that you’re getting some, short stack.” They hummed walking closer. “But you’re injured and I don’t want you engaging in anything strenuous for a while.” There was another dismissive click of the tongue as Levi lay back down. “Moblit is busy, so I’m taking over to check your shoulder.”

Eren shifted backwards to allow Hange room to check on the injury, but Levi’s good arm shot out and grasped his wrist. It wasn’t a tight grasp, but it wasn’t weak either. The message in those dark metallic eyes was as clear as day to him. Instead of Levi's signature flatness, it was a desire, a request for Eren to stay close. Shifting direction, he moved closer up near the head of the bed instead.

Hange didn’t seem to notice, or care, about their brief interaction as they began unwinding the bandage. Levi let out a small grunt of discomfort, but the grip never grew tighter. In its place, Eren felt a gentle caress as Levi stroked his inner wrist. “How are you feeling?”

“Worse now that you’re here.”

The rest of the visit was fairly uneventful. Hange and Levi bickered for a while before the doctor left to check up on another patient.

Unfortunately, Hange’s disruption had broken the atmosphere from earlier. Eren wasn’t quite sure what to say, his feelings were simply overflowing, but he didn’t want to burden Levi with them. Instead, he took the opportunity to tell his mate the events after he lost consciousness. Near the end of his telling, Levi had begun to doze off. Eren couldn’t blame him; he would have been pretty drained after everything.

 

Now that he had returned home, the only thing that resonated in Eren’s mind was Levi’s confession. Even the dejection that Levi wouldn’t be able to come home for another two weeks couldn’t prevent him from floating in a bubble of joy.

Quickly drying his hair, Eren couldn’t help the giant grin that spread over his face as he dove into the sheets. Levi loved him! His alpha loved him! Snuggling against the soft silky material, he inhaled the sandalwood and pine musk, feeling a fuzzy warmth form inside him as he thought of his mate.


	22. Chapter 22

Tossing the last of his things in the bag, Levi couldn’t wait until he was home with Eren. He would have preferred to recuperate at home, but he had no such luck. The stitches had come out at the end of last week and the rest of his stay was just to make sure it didn’t get infected. Any drugs in his system had long worn off and they were treating him as some porcelain doll. Levi would bet every cent he had that they had conspired to keep him in the hospital longer than necessary. Erwin had given him time off, Hange and Moblit had refused to give the okay for him to leave, and Eren had willingly gone along with it.

Over the two weeks, Levi had become well-acquainted with a loneliness that would not go away unless his omega was present. Eren’s absence was as obvious as was the rise and fall of the sun. His heart had left with Eren and nothing but the omega would ever bring it back. Every day was monotonous without the green-eyed brat. Levi found himself rolling each syllable in Eren’s name, one and at time, sometimes about to ask for a cup of tea, before he would realize that there was only the nursing staff available. The hot beverage they made was far inferior to the ones his mate brought. The hospital food was bland in comparison to the warm home-cooked meals Eren made. There were many times when Levi living with Eren was bothersome, but those moments were easily squashed by the fact that the omega’s presence was a blessing to him.

Levi’s breath caught in his throat as the hospital door opened to reveal the perfection that was his mate.

“I’m sorry I’m late!” Eren breathed heavily, clothes askew. “I slept in and then traffic was crazy and…” The brunet smiled wryly. “…well I’m here now. Did you wait long?”

“It’s fine.” It took everything in Levi to not reach out and grab his omega. He longed to smell the spicy cinnamon scent. To see laughter sparkle in those emerald eyes. To feel Eren’s warm skin and the beating of his heart under his palm. Eren looked like he had just run a marathon or had marathon sex with his hair mussed and face flushed. Levi wanted to wrap his arms around that slender waist and pull his omega against him. Mark his mate once more. Cup the soft tanned skin with both palms. And kiss the life out of the shitty, stubborn brat.

Hiding the thoughts swirling in his mind, Levi grabbed his briefcase, but Eren immediately caught sight and grabbed it. “Levi! Are you even supposed to be carrying stuff around? Let me.”

“Tch, I’m not an invalid.”

But the omega would not be deterred. “Levi, the doctor told you not to strain yourself.”

“Suit yourself.” Crossing his arms, there was a slight twinge as Levi stepped back and let Eren grab his stuff. It gave him the perfect vantage to watch his mate.

His inner alpha snarled at the thought of his husband in public dressed like that. Eren was wearing a nice button-down shirt and dark wash jeans. The faint blue lines on white only accentuated the brat’s figure and the tight fit of the skinny jeans hugged Eren’s curves perfectly. Eren had even made an attempt to comb his hair into something manageable, though it was mostly untamed still. Levi had always known the omega cleaned up nicely, but knowing that Eren had chosen the outfit with him in mind made him overjoyed. He wanted to come up with some excuse to not leave, lock the room, ensconce with his mate under the blankets, and hide _his_ omega from all prying eyes. But the hospital was no place for such desires. Tampering the beast down, he waited for Eren to finish.

“Is that everything?” Guileless green orbs glanced back at him.

“Yes.”

“Okay, let’s go then.” Levi almost growled as he watching those luscious hips sashay away from him.

Thank fuck this would be his last day in that room. He had been in the hospital for three fucking weeks. The first week had been okay as Eren was always around during the day, but he could only bear to be away from his mate for so long. Levi longed for the homey meals Eren made and his mate’s warmth at night.

“So… is there anywhere you want to go?” The omega’s voice was forced, injected with unnecessary lightness as they walked to the car.

“No, just home.”

Home, so he could be with Eren. So he could savor his husband’s cooking. So he could lie down beside his omega and actually get some sleep. So he could bathe in Eren’s presence without the possibility of being interrupted by a nosy doctor or some unsuspecting nurse.

“Okay, home it is then.” There was a smile as Eren turned the keys and started up the engine.

The car engine hummed in the background as he watched his mate drive. Eren was always attractive, but Levi found his eyes lingering on his beautiful omega more than usual. Maybe it was an illusion, but there was a radiant and joyous air around the omega, casting a healthy glow on the sun-kissed skin and making the greens in Eren’s eyes a fraction deeper. Since Hange’s abrupt interruption, they hadn’t done anything more but light pecks to the cheek. It was hell not being able to lavish attentions upon his omega. Eren was hesitant about showing affection, and Levi didn’t want to push him.

The ride was uneventfully quiet and twenty odd minutes later, they were home. Levi flicked on the lights as he stepped inside the condo. Despite the camaraderie they shared at the hospital, the atmosphere in the car had been strained. Eren was strangely silent and Levi was never one for chit chat.

As interested as he was in enjoying quality time with his mate, Levi itched to get clean. He was feeling grimy from the shitty excuse of a hospital shower. “I need a fucking shower.” He stomped inside without much preamble.

“Uh, sure. I’ll put your stuff in the room.”

“Thanks.” He quickly made his way to the bathroom. Stripping himself, Levi took his time cleaning off the sweat and grime that had accumulated. The hospital’s shower had been an utter disaster. The soap contained harsh chemicals, there were hairs stuck in the drain, and the entire place reeked. Refreshed and clean from the shower, Levi stepped back into the living room where Eren was bustling about.

Eren caught sight of him straight away, stopping in his tracks and smiling shyly at him. “I forgot to say this, but welcome home!"

Letting the damp towel drape around his shoulders, he raised a brow, questioning. “Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

“I couldn’t.” Eren looked crossly at him. “You ran straight into the shower.”

“Fine. So where’s my welcome back kiss then?” Levi lowered his tone, sauntering towards his mate. Teasing Eren had been one of the few pleasures he had back in the hospital. It was a delight seeing his mate flush cutely and stutter.

“Welcome back kiss?” There was a cute bewildered look on Eren’s face. For someone as stubborn and fierce as Eren, his mate was quite endearing.

“Or am I not getting one?” The alpha feigned a sound of hurt.

“Umm… okay.” There was a small blush before Eren’s mouth found his cheek. It was another of those tiny pecks Eren had given him before. Although Levi had enjoyed the brief contact, he knew Eren could do better than that.

“Was that all…?” He pretended to sulk. “I thought you _loved_ me, Eren.”

“Umm…I do.”

“Then…?” He hid his smirk as a slip of pink snuck out as Eren nervously wetted his lips. A second later, Eren’s mouth was on his. His mate tried pulling away a moment later, but Levi wrapped his arms around Eren, pulling the omega flush against him. One kiss became two. Two became three. And soon they found themselves practically making out in the hallway.

“Mnn Levi...”

“Nnnhh…” He groaned as Eren’s mouth descended on him, licking, sucking, innocently at first, but growing bolder by the second. He was ravenous, hands stroking the soft stubble of Levi’s undercut and running over his back. It had been nearly a month since they kissed deeply and the hunger burning inside Levi ignited. His body was starving for Eren’s. Eren had never behaved so aggressively, acting on the offense as hands slid downwards and palmed his groin, undoing his zipper, sneaking inside his pants.

There was a light shove and he suddenly found himself being pushed down, their lips still connected.

“Fuck...” Levi grunted as his head hit the wall from sudden change in positioning. “What’s gotten into you, Eren?” It wasn’t like his omega to be so forceful. Eren had always been a little bashful, cheeks dusted in rose each time they engaged in anything sexual. Levi didn’t mind how frisky Eren was getting, but it didn’t feel right jumping straight back into things. He wanted to take his time and shower his mate with affection.

“Nothing… it’s been so long and I thought…” The pair of green eyes refused to meet his, staring downwards, hands fiddling nervously.

“Tch, brat. That’s never going to happen.” The thought had never even crossed his mind. Levi would never live it down if Eren knew how many nights he had spent agonizing over how much he wanted his mate beside him.

“But–”

“Maybe if you’re a brat.” Levi teased, bopping Eren gently on the nose. The brat shot him a withering glance, wrinkling his nose as he did so, but all Levi could think was how adorable he was.

“Look here, Eren.” He grabbed Eren’s hands and pulled him closer so that the omega was straddling him. Ignoring the friction as their groins pressed up each other and the angry throbbing in his pants, Levi traced his mate’s face. It had been so long since he had looked closely into those jade orbs flecked with gold. Right now, those eyes were sparkling like golden rays of sun on a placid lake, but Levi had also seen them burn with angry fire, reckless and unable to be reasoned with. Then there were the moments in the midst of passion when they were blown wide like the clearest emeralds, shining with desire. It was so easy to drown into those aquamarine depths. “You’re the most stubborn and shittiest brat I know–”

“Levi!”

Levi was unsurprised as Eren immediately lifted an arm in retaliation, but he deftly caught it before he could be attacked. It was so like Eren to react before hearing the full story. “Just be patient and let me finish, brat.”

“Hmph.” Eren pulled back and crossed his arms, glaring at him angrily.

“As I was saying… I know you’re a shitty brat,” Eren shot daggers at him with his eyes, but Levi ignored them, lovingly caressing Eren’s supple skin with his free hand. “…but it was hell without you. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, and dealing with Hange is a fucking shit show. The only thing I looked forward to were your visits, Eren.” There was absolutely no doubt in Levi’s mind. Just thinking of Eren filled his chest with some cloying warmth he had slowly grown accustomed to feeling. “I don’t know how I can prove it or how many times I need to repeat myself till you believe me, but I love you, Eren.” Placing his hands on Eren’s soft cheeks, he caressed the tender flesh gently, smiling gently as he did. “ _Everything_ about you.”

There was a small silence as Eren’s suddenly watery eyes looked askance at him, seeming to drill holes into his very being. Levi let out the small breath he wasn’t aware he had been holding as Eren’s face softened and a tanned hand came up over his.

“I love you too.” Eren whispered softly back, placing his hands on top of Levi’s. The conviction in the alpha’s tone and the unwavering silver gaze had brooked no hesitation.

Before they could continue staring into each other’s eyes, a shrill ring pierced the air. Exchanging glances, Eren nodded as Levi grimaced, reaching into his pocket and grabbing his phone.

“LEVVIIIIII… HOW DID IT GO?!” He flinched as the high pitched squeal cut through the air. Holding the phone away from him, Levi waited a moment for the ringing in his ears to stop. The crazy doctor had impeccable timing; consistently disrupting them when things were getting good.

“Shut up, Shitty Glasses, he’s right next to me,” Levi hissed. Granted, Hange had made sure he got the best treatment available, but he wanted to murder them for the untimely interruption. During his stay, they had suggested many inane things such as a helicopter ride around the city or composing some shitty love poem, to express himself. One out of every fifty ideas might have had merit, but it wasn’t the right time. The alpha wanted to spend some quiet time with his omega before doing anything else.

“I’ll leave you to your call,” Eren whispered, slowly getting off his husband’s lap. Burying his face in his palms, his mind was still trying to catch up with what he had been doing. Levi just gotten released from the hospital and he was attacking the poor man! Padding to the bathroom, he splashed cold water on his face, feeling his skin burn with embarrassment.

Now that his wits were about him again, he wondered what Levi thought of him for being so forward. He had been moving according to instinct instead of conscious thought. Though he was nervous how to act around his mate in private given that his love was reciprocated – it had been easier in the hospital with all the people around them – he was overcome with excitement and happiness at having Levi back. He had missed his husband terribly.

Levi’s absence had cued Eren into how strongly he yearned for his alpha, emotionally and physically. Even though they kept to themselves when living together, Levi was there whenever he needed it. When Eren asked for help, such as with a work concern or opening a jar, Levi would help, albeit with a little fuss and grumble. The omega had never thought himself big on physical contact, nor was his husband that warm, but spending nights on the bed by himself, even when suffused with warmth from the comforters and pillows, was inadequate to fill the chill inside him.

The kidnapping had reminded Eren of his past. Of all the nights he had been trapped and unable to voice his true self. That was never a problem with Levi. Although he disdained snarky comments, Levi would never hurt him. Eren longed for his mate. To hear that baritone cadence whispering to him. Even shitty language would have been better than the overwhelming and suppressive silence that had echoed throughout the condo in the last few weeks. Inhaling Levi’s scent only reminded him of Levi's hands and lips ghosting over his skin.

Eren smiled at the all-too-familiar voice of his husband reprimanding his friend as he returned to the living room and made himself comfortable on the sofa. He was grateful for the reprieve the phone call gave him. Though their feelings were mutual, he was unsure how to proceed now that Levi had returned. Were they supposed to suddenly go back to how things were?

So much had happened in the last few days.

So much had changed.

Being kidnapped and rescued. Levi being injured. Confessing in the hospital.

Returning to their previous routine was impossible. And would be insufficient. The thought of _not_ being in a loving relationship didn’t sit well in his stomach. Levi’s actions spelled out that it was unlikely, but this was Eren’s first time being in such a situation. The dark-haired alpha was more patient and treated him kinder than before, often inquiring how he was and actually replying to Eren’s mundane questions. Whether that was because of the hospital or would be an ongoing change was yet to be seen.

Having a mate who naturally hid his thoughts and emotions might have made it more difficult to distinguish reality from fantasy, but Eren didn’t doubt the sincerity of Levi’s confession. Levi might seem like he was chiseled out of ice, but he would never joke about something as serious as love. It was more like Levi to deflect and make some offhand remark about being annoyed or irritated than to seriously feel affection for something or someone.

The manner in which Levi had behaved as a near-perfect gentleman also gave him reason to question what was to come of them. They couldn’t do much in the hospital naturally, but his alpha hadn’t made any overt attempt to touch him either. Eren wasn’t seeking anything over the top or nauseatingly romantic, but he missed Levi’s touch. That was part of the reason he had acted so brazenly. Eren had always preferred actions over talking and the manner Levi had behaved in return had obliterated any worry that the physical spark was gone.

Aimlessly picking at a stray piece of thread coming loose on a cushion, he tried not to listen in on Levi’s conversation, but it was difficult not to. Each time Levi mentioned his name, his ears perked up. But partial bits of half a conversation made it impossible to understand. Eren had an overwhelming urge to call Armin and consult with his best friend, but the blond was halfway across the globe at some workshop or something. Sitting around doing nothing only made the questions in his mind grow.

While Levi didn’t blame him for the injury, guilt continued to gnaw on Eren’s insides. It _hurt_ to see his mate on the hospital bed. Eren tried to spend as much time as possible visiting, but it was a struggle. The first week when Levi was bedridden had been particularly bad. Levi was never big on sitting around and constantly asked him to bring work to the hospital with him. He had refused, of course.

Hearing the agitation in Levi’s voice grow as the alpha finally hung up, Eren was suddenly nervous as Levi headed towards him, presumably to finish discussing what they had been in the middle of.


	23. Chapter 23

Hanging up on the nosy doctor, Levi made his way to the living room.

The atmosphere was completely different than before. It had changed from a cold, sterile environment to one overflowing with gentle warmth. Nothing significant had changed, but there were small things such as the messily written notes stuck on the fridge, the bowl of fruit on the counter, and the small potted cacti in the living room. He almost expected the condo to get messy in his absence, but Eren had kept it passably clean. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than he had expected.

He immediately found Eren fidgeting on the sofa and refusing to meet his eyes. As much as Levi wanted to grab Eren and ravage his mate in every nook and cranny, surface, and room of the apartment until the whole condo smelled like cinnamon and honey once more, it could wait. There were more important matters at hand. “Where were we again?”

“Umm…” Eren stared at the floor uncertainly. The spark and passion between them was undeniable given the heated gaze he had seen in Levi only moments before. And then there was the confession of love he received. Since then, every gentle upturn of Levi’s lips melted his heart.

But facing his alpha once more only served to remind him that Levi was recovering from injuries sustained because of him. And how he could have made them worse only minutes ago. “I-I’m sor–”

“Eren,” Levi cut the brat off before Eren could dig himself into the pit he seemed so fond of doing. It was also a bit frustrating how pigheaded the brat was. “Stop apologizing.” Eren didn’t need to say sorry for practically molesting him; he would happily lie down and subject himself to the omega’s eager roaming hands any day. “You can touch me anytime.”

“Okay…” Eren acquiesced bashfully, his crystalline green eyes not quite meeting Levi’s.

“Heh.” Dropping onto both knees, Levi gently tugged Eren’s hands in his, rubbing gentle circles into the soft contours of his omega’s palms with his thumbs. He smiled softly at his mate. Cradling one soft cheek with his hand, Levi brushed his fingers across those plump lips still reddened from their earlier kiss. “Can I kiss you again?”

“Mhm.” Eren nodded and an adorable flush lit up those sun-kissed cheeks. Staring into those bright eyes, Levi pressed his mouth against Eren’s, gently moving them against the omega’s soft lips. Eren’s eyes were lidded, cheeks lightly flushed, and his lips were honeysuckle sweet.

“I love you…” Levi whispered, breaking away from Eren’s lips, taking in the sight of his beloved mate with his eyes closed and head tilted just so. He would have continued the kiss, it had only whetted his appetite for more, but he didn’t want to rush straight. The alpha wanted to cherish his omega and spoil Eren with his love. Eren’s existence had pervaded all aspects of Levi’s life and become integral to his own.

“Levi…” Eren sighed breathily, feeling the loss the moment he felt Levi pull back. Reaching out automatically, he grabbed his alpha’s bicep and tugged Levi’s face closer once more, but instead of their lips meeting once more, Levi gently pried his hand off and stood up. The rejection stung. What had happened all of a sudden to make him pull away? Especially after the kiss they had just shared.

“Eren?” Levi looked back at him, confused.

“Levi? Do-don’t go…” Even if it was just a gentle meshing of their lips, it was the sweetest kiss Eren had ever received. He had never expected Levi to kiss him so tenderly. It bordered on reverence. Opening his eyes, Eren stared at Levi’s grey ones, seeing the love and affection shining through. His insides were warm and his heart was aflutter from that brief contact.

“Eren,” Levi exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. Cupping Eren’s cheek, he slowly caressed the tender flesh. “It’s not that I don’t want to, but it’s been a long time and if we don’t stop now, I might not be able to control myself.” He had barely been able to control himself earlier. The merest taste of Eren’s lips had been like ambrosia to him, just a hint had made his body sing and crave more. Two weeks with nothing but pecks on the cheeks didn’t cut it.

“Oh.” As glad as Eren was to hear that Levi wasn’t forcing him, the gentle rejection hurt. He yearned for his mate. Part of it was hormones – they were all over the place due to stress and his upcoming heat – and the rest was love for his alpha. Even with his friends and colleagues around to support them, Eren had never felt more alone in the last few days. Levi was the only one who could erase that ache. Now that they were finally together once more, he couldn’t bear to be apart. “It’s okay…”

“Are you sure?”

“Mhm.” He nodded. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind. Eren needed Levi by his side, keeping him warm at night and safe during the day.

Without missing a beat, Levi sat down next to his mate and swiftly pulled Eren into his arms so that they were face to face. There was a slight twinge in his shoulder, but it only reminded him that he might have lost Eren. That they were both alright now. Nuzzling Eren’s neck, it had been far too long since Levi had smelled his mate’s scent, feel the omega’s warmth pressed up against him, and be able to hold his other half. He couldn’t wait until Eren was covered in his scent once more. “Fuck, I missed you.”

“Me too.”

The alpha in him howled in delight as Eren pressed up against him and began reciprocating the scenting. It pleased Levi to know that his mate was marking him as his own, that Eren wanted him as much as Levi wanted him. Before today, he had never noticed how warm Eren’s scent was when his omega was happy. Levi loved how it reminded him of sunshine and summer, which was what Eren was to him.

“You’re not angry are you?”

“At what?” Levi murmured softly calmly nuzzling his mate.

“For getting you hurt…” He pressed his face back in the crook of Levi’s neck and inhaling the alpha’s unique blend of sandalwood and musk. Eren had missed Levi’s scent and the warmth of his mate’s hard body against his, limbs wrapped protectively around him.

“No, why would I be?” There was a teasing nip as Levi bit his outer ear. “Why would I complain when I have my own adorable nurse taking care of me?”

“Levi…” Eren squirmed in his alpha’s arms.

“What? This isn’t the first time you’ve had to take care of me.” There was a thoughtful hum as Levi nosed his hair. “Besides, I’d rather it was me than you, Eren. I’m just glad you’re not hurt.”

Hearing those affectionate words in his ear now… felt like a dream come true. In some ways Eren couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but Levi wasn’t the type of person to lie and spare a person’s feelings. And this no dream. Only one person had ever emitted such a scent and touched him like so.

“Thank you again for saving me, Levi.”

“Tch, brat. Stop thanking me already.” There was a dismissive click of the tongue from Levi, but Eren ignored it in favor of snuggling tighter against his mate.

Feeling a small bump as his mate shifted, Levi reached down to rub the delicate curve of Eren’s belly. It was still faint, but there was an undeniable bump. “Is that…?”

“Umm… no. I’m not.” Eren lifted his head out of Levi’s shoulder, wondering whether his alpha was upset or surprised. It was one of the things few they hadn’t discussed in the hospital. Most of the time had been spent trading stories of their days or pasts, and he wasn’t sure how to bring it up. “I checked several times. It’s probably just my breakfast.”

“I see…” Levi was a little relieved. He wasn’t prepared to be a parent and having a child would certainly put a dent in his plans of one-on-one time with his mate.

Lying against his alpha, Eren reveled in the warmth of Levi’s body against his. It was nice, just sitting, no _cuddling_ lazily, on a weekend afternoon. Levi’s hand began gently stroking his waist and hips as if memorizing his body once more. The brunet squirmed at the light ticklish sensation, causing Levi to pull away with an irritated huff. “Hold still, Eren.”

“But you’re tickling me.”

“Shitty brat.” Levi’s hot breath feathered over his ear and he trembled, feeling a different urge overtake him. “Don’t make me punish you, Yeager.”

“L-Le-Levi…” Eren was startled when Levi’s mouth descended on his ear. Levi quickly went on the offense, sucking and nibbling on his earlobe.

Warmth coiled in Eren’s core as Levi’s assault increased. If this was what Levi had in mind as punishment, he didn’t mind it one bit. Kisses rained down on his jaw, sucking and nibbling down his neck. Finally, their mouths met again, tongues winding around each other. The omega couldn’t help as his body began to react, readying itself for mating. Undulating, Eren twisted his body, pressing himself snugly against Levi’s chest, fingers curling into Levi’s hair and deepening the kiss. Levi did the same, hands pulling out the tails of his shirt, slipping underneath the fabric and trailing up his body, branding Eren’s skin.

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard. There was a questioning look in Levi’s eyes, asking for permission to continue. Arching his back in tacit agreement, Eren could see the lust in those grey eyes, shivering as cool fingers flicked over his nipples. The dark head followed, teeth scraping over the distended nubs. The omega gasped when the alpha’s mouth captured one, flicking his tongue and sucking on it. “Hah… hnng…”

“Hoh,” Levi’s voice was laced with amusement, “excited already?”

“T-that’s because it’s been so long… uhnnn…” Eren whimpered. His alpha’s hot mouth left his shirt damp, rapidly cooling against his skin as Levi switched to attack the other nub. “And with you in the hospital and… hnng!”A jolt of heat raced down his body when Levi bit lightly down on his aching nipple.

“Is that so…” Stormy grey burning with feral passion softened into a soft, tender gaze. “I’m here now, though, aren’t I?”

“Mhm.” It had barely been three weeks, but those weeks without his mate felt like an eternity. Any lingering reservations he had had about being intimate with Levi vanished after the last few days and in particular, after Levi’s injury. Life was too short not to enjoy. And, Eren most certainly wanted to experience as much of it as possible with his mate.

The persistent hardness prodding Eren’s thighs only served to remind him of one such item on that list. Levi had brought it up before, but he had been too shy to actually agree back then.

“Levi…?” Eren pulled away, fidgeting as he did so.

“Hmm?”

“Can I try something?” Detecting a note of uncertainty, Levi looked up from what he was doing, namely tasting every inch of Eren’s skin. Glancing at his mate, Eren’s green eyes refused to look into his. There was a nervous fidget as Eren traced small circles against his chest.

“Try what?”

“Umm… you’ll see.”

Cocking his eyebrow, he was surprised when Eren shimmied down to kneel between his legs. Levi blinked as Eren unzipped his pants, rubbing at the growing bulge in his pants, before wrangling his erection out. The omega paused, eyes flickering up to him before moving back down, hesitantly tracing his member and pumping it in his hands. Growing in confidence, those soft red lips followed, descending on his member without preamble. Levi groaned at the erotic sight Eren made, kneeling between his thighs. Eren’s eyes were focused intensely on his cock as he brought those rosy lips lowered down onto his throbbing member.

Placing his hand against Eren’s forehead, Levi gently pushed Eren’s head away. “You don’t need to force yourself to do this.” As tempting as it was, he didn’t want Eren doing anything he didn’t want to. The omega had shied away from it in the past, and it felt strange for such desire to spring out of thin air.

“Mmm... I’m not...” Casting a quick glance upwards, Eren refocused his emerald gaze on the throbbing organ in his hands. Unsure of what to do, he wrapped his hand around the impressive erection, stroking the turgid flesh. It stiffened rapidly in his hands, swelling and reddening before his eyes. He was astonished at how big his alpha was. Levi was only half hard, but already larger than his own. It had been inside him before, but seeing the growing erection was a different story. It might have shocked and frightened him originally, but it elicited a different reaction now. Knowing that _he_ was the cause, that he had brought such pleasure to his mate, was immensely gratifying. Eren trembled with anticipation of how it would feel inside him before the night.

After today, Eren intended to thoroughly map out and memorize every inch of Levi’s body. The last few weeks had been torture for him, smelling his alpha on the sheets and all around the apartment. The cool soft silk did nothing to alleviate the heat in his body when he lay in bed and thought about Levi. He had used Levi’s shirts when masturbating, but it came nowhere close in terms of intensity or arousal to the pleasure Levi delivered. Touching himself could not even rival the magical quality of Levi’s fingers.

Running his tongue against the venous surface, he could taste a hint of soap and salt. Kissing the sensitive organ, Eren couldn’t believe how it was hot and hard, yet soft as velvet. The taste of salt hit the back of Eren’s throat and he moaned slightly at the taste. Darted his tongue out, he tasted more of whitish clear fluid. More precum dribbled down and he followed the trail up, lapping up the salty sweet musk.

He debated stopping for a moment, unsure whether it would fit, but given how much Levi was enjoying it, it would be worth it. Opening his mouth as wide as possible, Eren wrapped his lips around the bulbous head and experimentally sucked on the tip.

“Fuck!” The heated flesh suddenly slid out of his mouth.

“I’m sorry if this isn’t that good. I’ve never done this before…” Eren pulled back immediately, looking back up to see Levi breathing heavily, eyes aglow with dark fire.

“It-it’s fine…” Levi breathed, trying to regain his composure, but failing miserably.

“Is it okay?” Stroking it, Eren felt Levi’s member throb in his hands. It was much thicker and longer than his own. No doubt why it had stung a little when he had first been penetrated and also why it always felt so big inside him.

“…yes.” Even if it lacked finesse, it was way better than just ‘okay.’ The erotic contrast between Eren’s naïve questions and not-so-innocent actions devastated his self-control. His libido was on overdrive.

“Okay. Let me know if I’m doing anything wrong.” Unless Eren was going to chomp down or something, there couldn’t be anything he could do wrong. Rosy lips curved into a tentative smile as Eren extended his tongue and began licking his shaft as if it was the world’s most delicious popsicle. Levi stared down at his omega with his messy chocolate locks, green orbs glittering back at him, a trail of saliva bridging the distance between his cock and Eren’s shimmery lips.

“Shiiitttt…” Levi inhaled sharply as his throbbing member was enveloped in wet heat once more. His overeager mate managed to take his sensitive flesh deeper inside his mouth, sucking deeply. Although Eren couldn’t take in the entire thing, watching and feeling him bob his head up and down was incredible. Trying not to buck his hips and unload himself, Levi grasped onto the ends of Eren’s hair, balling his hands into fists. Eren was unskilled, but his passion and desire was undeniable.

Sliding his tongue over the length, Eren traced the venous underside tasting a mixture of sweat, musk, and the salty bitterness. Wrapping his lips around it, he slowly sucked, taking more of the hard length as he did. The hand on his head never became forceful, but the omega was proud to make his alpha lose his composure judging from the heavy breathing above him.

“Mmphh…” It was a little difficult to take something so thick inside his mouth without choking, but judging from the heavy breathing above him, Levi was enjoying it. And that was all that mattered. Bobbing his head lightly up and down his alpha’s girth, slick began to build in his lower half. Never in his wildest dreams had Eren considered the possibility of giving his mate head arousing, but it was. The magnificently hard organ was all _his_ and he couldn’t wait until it was inside him. “Mine…”

“Fuck!” Levi gasped, barely able to restrain himself as Eren lowered his head and sucked hard. Breathing heavily, he pressed against his omega’s head. “Oi Eren, that’s okay. You can stop now.” As tempting as it was to thrust deeply inside and watch his mate drink his seed, Levi didn’t want to cum inside Eren’s mouth – yet. He wanted to make love to Eren first before pursuing more lurid pleasures.

“You didn’t like it?” Eren glanced at him worriedly, hands still resting on his thighs. Having his omega looking at him with those eyes sparkling with anxiety and puffy cherry lips stained with saliva right next to his crotch had to be illegal. Levi wanted to grab Eren, toss him onto the nearest surface, and ravish him.

“Fuck no!”

“Then…?” Eren bent down as if to continue the blowjob.

“I won’t be able to control myself if you keep at it.” Levi hoisted his mate up so he was standing. “I don’t want to be the only one enjoying it.”

“I-I liked it too…” Eren’s reply came as the barest whisper, lightly biting his lips in mortification, and darting his eyes anywhere but Levi’s. His face was undoubtedly beet red. Did most people enjoy doing such things?

“Did you now…?” The omega’s agreement had Levi reeling. “You can suck my dick all you want whenever.” Grabbing his omega’s hands, he brought them to his still-throbbing cock. “It’s _all_ yours after all.” Levi smirked at the light dusting of pink on Eren’s cheeks as Eren lightly stroked him. Wiping off the remnants of saliva from Eren’s mouth, Levi pulled Eren against him, nudging his mate’s attention away from his dick. “Where did you learn those erotic techniques from?”

“Nowhere… I just did whatever felt natural.”

“Is that so…” He smirked at the flustered expression. The rosy blush on those cheeks made Levi want to tease Eren even more. “Such a lusty omega…” Massaging his mate’s soft globes, he slipped his hands under Eren’s pants. “…how did you enjoy the taste of your alpha’s cock? …of _my_ cock?”

“Levi…” Eren squirmed, too self-conscious to face his mate. He certainly wasn’t as averse to doing it again. The size was a little difficult to handle, but Eren had been primarily occupied with how hot and hard it was. And how the unique taste had flipped some switch inside him. It didn’t taste good by conventional means, but Eren enjoyed the unique flavor. He _was_ even a little curious about what the actual thing would taste like when Levi came inside. The forums he read had claimed wildly different things from it being the best to the worst tasting thing.

His train of thought was halted by the incessant groping though. Levi’s hands had grown bolder, kneading and massaging his flesh. “What are you doing? Stop groping me!”

“But you want this too don’t you?” Removing one hand, Levi palmed it over Eren’s straining pants; there was a small gasp as Eren involuntarily ground against him. Cupping his omega’s nether regions, Levi could smell Eren’s arousal as his mate undulated against him, rutting in the middle of the air. “How should I pay my omega back? What does my beautiful mate want?” Pressing the pad of his finger against that rosy bud, Levi was rewarded with a small gasp. Poking his finger in that dilated hole, Levi dipped it in and out, coating it in slick.

“Nhh…” The omega whimpered, growing wetter with desire. If the words spoken in the smooth, low baritone weren’t enough, the finger toying with and applying pressure, was pushing him dangerously close to the edge. “Hah… Levi, wh-what about your arm?” Eren stared nervously back into those narrowed silver-grey eyes, breathing hard. Was he being too forward? Perhaps Levi wasn’t fully healed yet? “Sh-shouldn’t we wait?”

“What gave you that idea, brat? You were the one who made me hard.” As if to emphasize the point, Levi grabbed his free hand and used it to palm his swollen shaft. Eren could feel the engorged length throbbing in his hands. “As long as I don’t put too much weight on it, I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?” Eren traced Levi’s serious visage with his hand. He had never been such a worrywart, but Levi had just gotten released. He didn’t want to make things worse again.

“Yeah. I was stuck there for three weeks, brat.” Levi frowned. “Why the questions?”

“It’s been a while and I want to make sure you won’t get hurt.” Eren yelped in surprise at the sudden not-so-gentle slap on his ass. “Ow! What was that for?”

“There’s more than one way to have sex, Eren. You can always ride me.”

“Ride you?” Eren was a little confused. Levi had always taken charge when they were together. Most of the other times had him on his knees or on his back as his husband did most of the moving.

“Don’t fret.” Levi pushed him off slightly. “Now, we can’t continue if your pants are on. Why don’t you take them off?”

“Okay…” Taking a step back, Eren shivered at being suddenly bereft of his alpha. Nibbling his bottom lip, ye hesitated, eyes darting to meet Levi’s, before he placed his hands on his belt buckle and quickly shucked his pants off. When Eren was done, his cheeks were burning hot as he stood back up wearing only a wrinkled shirt and socks. Eren unconscious licked his lips; his eyes unconsciously zoomed in on the proud member jutting between Levi’s thighs.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” Levi breathed, drinking in Eren with his eyes. He wanted run his hands and mouth over the sun-kissed skin, tasting and marking the supple flesh. Rosy pink suffused across Eren’s cheeks while the brunet stood there, nervously tugging down the ends of his shirt. The innocent gesture immediately grabbed his attention and directed it towards the alluring shadow between Eren’s legs, which went on for miles, hinting at the treasure trove he would be plundering. He would definitely be slowly and properly exploring the source of the sweet honey wafting his way later.

Right now, the only thing on Levi’s mind right now was mating with and marking his omega. “Come here, Eren.”

Eren shuddered as the masculine purr danced over him. Propriety forgotten, the commanding tone in Levi’s voice pulled him like a marionette on invisible strings as he eagerly straddled his mate, pressing their naked flesh together.

“Levi…” Eren gasped as hands massaged his bottom, bringing his erection flush against his mate’s much larger one. Hands roaming over Levi’s chest, Eren was a little dismayed that the alpha was still dressed, but he couldn’t complain much as hot openmouthed kisses rained over his neck and shoulders. Grasping at Levi’s shirt, he tried undoing the buttons, but it was difficult concentrating with everything else that was going on. “Hah…”

“Tell me, what does such a beautiful omega want?” There was a sly smile as Levi’s hands danced under his shirt and over his spine. Eren gasped, craning his head backwards as the alpha devoured every uncovered inch of skin, leaving a trail of hickeys behind. “Anything for my mate.”

“Alpha…” Eren whimpered, trembling. His heart raced at the words Levi used. Beautiful. Gorgeous. But most importantly, _my mate_. It had surprised and delighted him that that Levi perceived him as such. He was wanton in comparison, panting as teeth scraped against his pulse, shivers dancing across his skin. “Please…”

“Please, what?” Levi wanted to turn his omega around and mark Eren once more, but he also did not want to forgo seeing the desire in those green orbs. To compromise, he attacked the side of his mate’s neck.

“Y-you know what… Ahhh!” Eren cried out as Levi bit down against his neck. There was no doubt there was going to be a red ring on his neck from how hard the alpha had bitten. But he was quickly distracted from the sting as hands moved down to caress his bottom.

“So sensitive, Eren.” Licking at the new mark, Levi moved his hand backwards. Sliding his hands along tanned skin, he gently kneaded Eren’s lithe thighs, working his way towards his mate’s butt. Eren’s flesh was smooth, soft, and pliable in his palms. “And so perfect for me.” Prying those luscious globes apart, he dabbed his fingers against the wet pucker. Levi relished the needy mewl that escaped as he pressed the pad of his finger harder against that ring of muscle, which gave way instantly.

“Hnng, Levi…” Clawing at Levi’s shoulders, Eren could really only think of one thing as the alpha’s fingers prodded inside him. Modesty gave way to instinct as his body immediately responded. Every cell in his body was electrified, burning with want. Eren wanted to be knotted, filled with his alpha and intimately connected so they could never be apart again. “Hurry up…”

“Like this?”

“Mhm…” Levi’s fingers gently probed his rear entrance. Eren nodded eagerly, mewling at the pressure as one digit slowly slid itself inside him. “Uhnn… L-Levi…” His nipples tightened into aching tips, stomach quivering with desire.

“Fuck, I’ve only put my finger in and you’re already soaked.” Easing his finger deeper inside, Levi could feel the walls clamp down and suck him in. Sliding the lone digit in and out, he could feel the liquid heat around it as he readied his mate. There was no need for more lubrication. Lowering his head to suck at those dusky nipples through the shirt, he inserted another finger inside that wet channel, feeling Eren immediately accept the intrusion, the muscles soft and twitching eagerly around his fingers. “Look at you, taking in my fingers easily… have you been playing with yourself?”

“Hnn… hah… t-there….” Eren let out a breathless moan as Levi’s digits rubbed lightly against his prostate. It felt like a lifetime ago since he had last felt such pleasure and smell the alpha’s earthy musk around him. “Levi…”

“What was that?” Levi was taking unfair advantage of his weakened state. Levi’s fingers began rubbing small circles inside him, sending increasing tendrils of pleasure through Eren’s body. Each movement caused him to grow even wetter with need.

“Y-yes…” Eren whimpered as another digit entered. Levi knew just how to toy with him, stroking his insides with a mix of gentle and hard movements. Another whine left his mouth when his mate pressed up his prostate. “L-Levi…” Levi’s movements were maddeningly slow; each time he thought things would escalate, Levi would immediately slow down. He was a prisoner to his alpha’s actions. It was as though Eren’s body didn’t belong to him anymore. “D-don’t tease me anymore…”

“But look at how much you’re enjoying this, Eren.” Levi crooned, plunging his digits further inside. “We’ve barely started and you’re already so soft and wet inside.” He had no difficulty sliding his fingers in and out. “Sucking in my fingers one by one.”

“Levi… couldn’t help it… b-bed smelled like you…” Eren whined, grinding his hips down. After receiving Levi’s confession, it became impossible to lie on the soft silky material and _not_ think about his alpha or being with Levi… which had inadvertently led to other things too. “Hnnn… Le-Levi…” Why wasn’t his alpha doing anything else? He was saddled on the thin edge between frustration and arousal.

“So I see. You’ll have to show me that someday.” Levi mused, wondering what Eren was doing while masturbating. He could easily imagine his mate on all fours, ramming his fingers inside that dripping hole, moaning his name. Or perhaps Eren would be on his back, legs raised, fingering and stroking himself as the omega called out for him with slick seeping out his dilated hole.

“So what were you imagining while touching yourself?” He sucked on Eren's lips, swallowing the delicate cries Eren made as he curled his fingers again that special spot inside his mate.

“Mmnn, Levi… Y-you…” Panting hard, Eren clawed at Levi’s shirt. Fingers weren’t nearly enough. He needed even more. Something bigger. Thicker. And meant for him. Rolling his hips in tandem with Levi’s fingers, he tried to alleviate the burning ache to no avail. “Hurry up, Levi… I love you… please put it in already…”

“I love you too, brat.” Levi gently pecked Eren on the lips, continuing his slow assault. Despite Eren’s insistence that he was already ready, some prep was definitely in order. Between the separation and his desire to assure no pain came to his mate, Levi wanted to make sure Eren would enjoy it as much as he would. Causing pain to his omega, especially after such a long hiatus, was unthinkable. “But I need to make sure you’re nice and prepped, so it won’t hurt.”

“Levi pleeeease…” The begging whines Eren made sent a delicious thrill through him. Running his teeth along his mate’s neck, Levi could feel the rapid thumping of Eren’s heartbeat as he slowly nibbled the column of flesh, leaving behind a trail of reddened marks. Eren might complain later of how they were on display, but Levi loved seeing his beautiful omega covered in his marks. He was the only one allowed to monopolize Eren. Anyone could see how lovely Eren was on a normal day, but his mate was stunning in the throes of passion. The tanned skin dusted with pink, rosy lips parted a smidgeon, and bright green eyes sparkling with desire only made Levi desire his omega more.

Snaking his free hand under Eren’s shirt, he found his omega’s neglected nipples, distended and perking up through the shirt. Pinching and tugging lightly, Eren grew increasingly desperate, grinding harder against Levi’s hand. More panting mewls echoed the room as Levi ran his teeth over Eren’s jugular, feeling the pulse beat beneath the skin.

“Levi…” Clutching onto Levi’s shirt, Eren tugged hard on the infernal garment, tearing the first few buttons off and revealing his mate’s chest. Licking Levi’s flesh, he could taste the faint trace of sweat. Levi barely had an ounce of fat on his body; it was all hard muscle and sculpted contours. Lowering his mouth, Eren pressed a kiss to the junction where shoulder met neck, right above the injury.

“Stop worrying, brat.” Levi’s eyes looked calmly at him. There was no censure in those eyes. Only love.

Before Eren could fall into a guilt trip upon seeing his shoulder, Levi gently swirled his fingers, rubbing them against Eren’s sweet spot, distracting the omega who gasped. “Hah!”

“So what were you thinking about when you played with yourself, Eren?” As much as he would enjoy watching Eren come apart with his hand, Levi couldn’t wait to be inside his mate either. He burned with the desire to lay claim to his mate, reaffirming their mating bond with one another, and claiming the omega as his own both inside and outside. Withdrawing his fingers, Levi shifted them slightly, positioning the head of his aching member against his omega’s glistening rosebud. “Was it this? Were you thinking of your alpha’s cock?”

“Nghhh… it’s your fault for spreading your scent around the condo, Levi! Take responsibility and stop teasing me…” He cried, digging his nails into his mate’s arms and grinding his bottom against his husband’s member. Eren could feel the head nudge against him; just a little bit more and it would be inside. It had already been a long time since he had had sex, but the brutal snail-like pace was maddening. “Need you alpha… please… need you inside.”

“Tch, demanding brat.” Levi had never seen Eren so desperate, eyes glassy with tears. Giving into the desperate plea, he pulled his fingers out. Eren wasn’t nearly as prepped as he would have liked, but he didn’t have it in him to deny his mate. Pulling the overly eager omega’s head down, Levi gently pressed their lips together, drinking in the intoxicating flavor of his mate. “You sure?”

“Yeah…” There was a frantic nod as Eren moved against him.

“Where are the condoms?”

“N-no…” Shaking his head, Eren tried to insert Levi’s swollen organ inside him, but it was difficult with Levi holding him down. “Just put it in…” Eren needed Levi inside him, and have his alpha fill him with seed. His inner omega demanded it. “It’s not my heat anyways…” He had also gone to the doctor and received a new prescription of contraceptives and suppressants. Ones that would actually _work_. “Please…”

“You want it raw, huh, greedy brat?” The idea of filling his mate with seed made Levi’s cock swell even further. His groin burned with vicious need. “Raise your hips, Eren.” Grinning at the thought, it took Levi a moment to properly position himself. Eren’s enthusiasm certainly did not help in that regard. Whether it was because of his movement or Eren sitting down on it, Levi groaned as his throbbing hardness was suddenly enveloped in that familiar sweet friction.

“Uhnnn…” Eren moaned as his entrance was slowly breached. His body was not swimming in a cocktail of heat-induced endorphins and hormones, heightening his awareness of being filled. “You’re so big, Levi…” Even if he had masturbated and there had been some preparation, his alpha was thicker than what his body was ready for. There was a sliver of pain as Levi entered.

“Stop squeezing my dick so tightly, Eren.” It was difficult for him to refrain from thrusting into that slick heat, but it would only hurt Eren if he did. Despite his reservations, there was no way to refuse after hearing his mate’s begging. Gritting his teeth, Levi stilled his actions, choosing to rain openmouthed kisses along the rapid thumping of Eren’s pulse instead. “I knew it was–”

“It’s okay, Levi…” Eren rested his forehead against his mate’s staring at those stormy orbs. “I love you.” Breathing deeply, he slowly relaxed himself, allowing his body to accustom itself to the foreign heat. Levi was throbbing, pulsing, inside him. The acute ache from being stretched was gradually replaced by a sweet sensation coiling in his gut. Wiggling his bottom experimentally, a frisson of pleasure spiraled up his body. “Hnnng…”

“Shit…” The brat had no idea what he was doing to Levi’s self-control. Levi couldn’t help the small nudges or his cock from swelling even more when he heard those sweet whimpers. It felt way better without a thin layer of latex encasing his dick. Every breath Eren took caused the muscles to flutter around his hard member. “You sure?” Levi pulled back a little to read his mate’s expression better. He wanted to make sure the quivers hugging his dick weren’t due to pain, but pleasure. “There’s no need to rush.”

“Yes, hurry….” Impatient to get started, Eren gyrated his hips, whimpering as another jolt of pleasure shocked his system. “Ahnnn!” The pain had subsided and replaced with the heated pulsing of Levi’s hard flesh. Tightening around the wide girth, he wanted it inside him even more, filling him to the maximum, stretching him out utterly just like how it had been before. “Alpha… more…”

 _So fucking hot._ Levi licked his lips at the delectable sight of his mate’s face flush with pleasure. Eren was absolutely lost in the throes of passion, head bent, mouth agape, moaning loudly, and writhing on his lap. Bright green eyes contrasted with his omega’s caramel skin. “Slow down, Eren. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

“But Levi… I need you…” The omega whined, shifting and trying to hit that sweet spot. Biting Levi’s ear, Eren grasped his own aching erection, stroking himself in tandem with his movements. “Don’t be mean, alpha… move already.”

“Since when did you become such a demanding brat?” Sucking punishingly hard on Eren’s nipple, Levi was rewarded with a small yelp. The perky nub was hard as he circled it with his tongue. “You should be doing some of the work too.”

“Work?” There was a glazed expression in Eren’s eyes.

“Yeah, move your hips up and down.”

“Hnng… like this?” Following the prompt, Eren slowly rose himself onto his knees and slowly sat back down, throwing his head back and moaning as he did. “Uhnnnn…!”

“Yes,” Levi groaned, savoring the needy whine, unable to take his eyes off the sexy sight. “Just like that.”

“Nhnn… yeah… ahhnn… Levi…” It only took a few tries before Eren seemed to grab hold of how to move. They had barely begun and he was already ready to explode. “Levi… love you…!” Eren grew more agitated with each action, moaning and bouncing on his cock with increasing vigor. Taking advantage of Eren’s downwards motion, Levi thrust upwards _hard_.

“Ah!” Eren shuddered at the forceful movement. Having Levi inside him was _amazing_. Each jerk, every roll of the hips, even the most miniscule movement sent another jolt through him. It filled him with a sense of completeness to be joined with his significant other. His body sang, clamoring for more. “Uhhnn… Levi!”

“Fuck, I love you, Eren.” Levi ground his length in a circular motion, sliding deeper inside. Eren was so silky soft, so wet, so tight inside, and so perfect for him. “I love the sounds you make when my cock is buried nice and deep inside you.” Each time he sucked on Eren’s nipples or bit a particularly erogenous area, Eren’s ass would lovingly hug his dick, sucking it further in. “Clenching so fucking tightly around me.”

“Mmnnn…” The dirty words Levi spoke only inflamed him further. Grinding harder down, Eren shivered from the sudden rush. “Leviii…!” Nothing could or would ever be able to compare to the shape, feel, or hardness of his alpha buried deep inside him. Clawing at those muscled shoulders, Eren mewled, reveling how deep it was buried inside him rubbing up against his prostate. “Alpha… so good…”

Pressing his open lips against Levi’s once more, Levi’s tongue invading his mouth with a rough glide. Eren wove his hands through the silky dark strands, sucking on hot flesh as Levi’s hard length nudged that bunch of nerves. On a visceral level, his body blazed with the same intensity as before. Yet the sensations evoked were somehow wholly different. His inner omega purred with contentment at finally becoming one with his alpha. Being connected with Levi on an emotional level elevated everything to a new level. It was incredible.

Entwining his tongue with Eren’s, Levi devoured the moan before it could escape. Sex had never been so good. And this wasn’t just sex. He was making love with Eren, the omega he loved and was mated to, who loved him back just as much. Levi’s mind was numb to all other thought; he was solely focused on the omega on his lap.

Some part of him wanted everyone to hear Eren, listen to the delightful litany of ‘mores’ and ‘yeses’ that dripped from those plump lips, showcasing how perfect his mate was and that he was the one bringing such euphoric bliss to Eren. But another side of Levi wanted to strangle anyone who even glanced at an extra inch of Eren’s skin or heard anything remotely close to a moan.

The latter urge won out as Levi pulled his mate flush against him, hooking one arm under Eren’s knees as he thrust deeper, half-devouring and half-savoring the taste of his omega. Eren mirrored Levi’s growing desperation, eagerly rocking himself on the thick and hard member, moaning into Levi’s mouth as they made love. The gentle rocking of united bodies grew frenetic, filling the room with heavy panting and muffled groans as they moved.

There was something about this time’s mating that made it feel that much more intimate. Perhaps it was the admittance of feelings or maybe just a desperate need to reconnect, but there was a subtle difference. It was no less passionate, but there was less aggression and more intimacy. Instead of a fight for dominance, their kiss was a union between them. They were two separate beings integrated as one, moving in unison, both giving and taking at the same time. Their tongues wrapped around one another, hungrily, eagerly tasting the flavor of sweet intoxication as their bodies moved on instinct, reaffirming their mating in a primal dance.

The scents of honeyed cinnamon and sandalwood musk, each strong and unique, blended together, merging and mixing until they were indistinguishable from one another, fusing harmoniously to create a fragrance unlike any other. Like two halves of a long-lost whole coming together and completing each other as the two mates reached the pinnacle together. They remained fused together for many minutes, their skin warm and salty, connected intimately, as they alternated between exchanging kisses and breaths.

“That was… that was…” Eren breathed as he gradually came down from his climax, muscles still trembling from the aftermath. His insides were hot from Levi’s seed and knot, trapping them together.

“Incredible?”

“Yeah,” he sighed, lying limply against his mate. There was a fond look as Levi stroked his face, eyes gazing lovingly at him. They had done some cuddling and bathed in the post-coital glow before, but this was different. Eren was unused to experiencing Levi treat him with such sweet, tender loving. Even if they weren’t fully naked, this was the most intimate lovemaking they had ever engaged in.

Even though he tried not to stare, he found his eyes lingering over the new puckered skin. The small circle from the bullet was clearly visible. “Your shoulder is okay, right?”

“Tch, I told you everything would be okay.” Truth be told, it stung a little, but it wasn’t unbearable. “I’m just glad you’re fine, Eren.” Levi’s lips curled into a soft fond smile, a warm palm gently cradling his dear omega’s face and peering into those emerald pools. “You mean everything to me, shitty brat.”

Pressing his lips against Eren’s, Levi took his time as he kissed his mate, lips meeting softly and lovingly. Once. Twice. “I love you.”

“Mmm.” Resting his forehead against his mate’s, Eren languidly traced random patterns on his alpha’s chest as he stared back at the unwavering dark silver gaze. It was difficult to meet Levi in the eyes; the intensity of his emotions was blinding. “I love you too.”

“Good.” The alpha suddenly smirked, whispering against him. “But who knew I married such an erotic omega?”

“Levi…” Eren squirmed, uncomfortable from the intense scrutiny and the playful light that suddenly entered Levi’s eyes. “Don’t call me that!”

“Fine, sexy then.” The flustered look Eren had on made it that much more worthwhile to tease his mate. The flushed and embarrassed look on the omega’s face was priceless. Eren was absolutely adorable. “And you can’t say you didn’t enjoy that, Eren.” Eren’s body was a mass of limp limbs as Levi’s mouth found his again, and they kissed each other once more, slowly, tenderly. “I know I did.”

“…me too.” The words that escaped those swollen lips was a mere whisper.

Feeling the knot begin to shrink, Eren squirmed, shifting away slightly. The movement caused Levi to glance down between them, clicking his tongue in disgust. “Tch, look at the mess you’ve made, covering us in cum. It’s disgusting.”

“What? You were part of it too!” Before he could protest further, Eren found hands on his hips, trying to hoist him off Levi’s lap. Levi’s member began to slip out fairly easily, but after all that had happened, the sudden thought of his mate leaving him, even just to pull out, was unbearable. It was like Levi was abandoning _him_. Without thinking, Eren clutched his arms tighter, refusing to part. “Levi! No… d-don’t take it out.”

“Heh… horny brat.” Lips captured his as Levi stopped the upward motion, hands moving back to massage his bottom. The still-hard shaft to rubbed against his sensitive insides, heightening Eren’s awareness of how intimately joined they were. “Are you asking for a second round?”

“Mmnn… n-no…” Eren pulled away from the kiss, staring at the teasing smirk on Levi’s face. “I just want…” he trailed off unsure of how to phrase it. While his body _did_ burn for more, he just wanted to remain beside and connected with his alpha. Having a solid physical connection grounded him. Even though Eren had being living in the apartment since the beginning of the year, it hadn’t really become _home_ after Levi had been hospitalized. And even then, it had been incomplete until his mate had stepped through the threshold returned earlier today.

“Fine, you asked for it.” Before he could protest further, Eren found himself hoisted up as Levi stood up.

“Where–” Instinctively wrapping his arms and legs around his mate, he clutched desperately onto Levi’s short but muscular frame. “What are you doing?!” Levi’s hands supported his butt as they moved, but even then Eren was afraid of falling off. “Let me down!”

“To shower and clean up, where else?” They were both covered in a thin sheen of fine sweat and cum. This way they could get clean without being bereft of one another. “But… if you’d like, we can continue in the tub.” Levi rocked his hips upwards to emphasize his point.

“Wha–! Nghnnn…” Whimpering was all Eren could do as he held on. Each step taken caused the length inside to rub against his prostate, rendering him unable to speak. The seed inside him made it quite easy for the hard length to slide in and out of him, adding to his torment. Eren had barely come down from his previously release and each movement sent a spark through his overly sensitized body. Finally, Levi stopped, balancing him on one hand while using the other to open the bathroom door.

“Let me down, Levi!” Taking the opportunity, Eren pushed against the indomitable wall of muscle to no avail. If anything, Levi’s grip only tightened as he pushed open the door.

“Tch, stop moving, brat. Weren’t you the one who asked for this?”


	24. Chapter 24

In the faint morning glow, Levi smiled softly, hearing the soft breathing of his mate next to him. Wrapping his arm possessively around Eren’s waist, he gently combed his fingers through the messy chocolate locks, exploring the youthful face of his mate once again. He would never get tired of tracing those contours with his eyes, seeing the gentle curve of Eren’s cheeks, or adorable dimples gracing his omega’s smile. A small clip of hair fell over forehead as Eren shifted, and Levi gently pushed it back.

“Mm… Levi?” Levi’s heart melted at the soft contented hum Eren let out, snuggling deeper against him. When had the brat become so fucking adorable?

“Yeah?”

“Mmm… why are you awake?”

“Can’t sleep.” Even though Levi had been able to fall asleep, he hadn’t slept much. He couldn’t sleep. What if he woke up and Eren was gone? Yesterday felt like an ephemeral dream that would float away the moment he turned away. The whole thing had only highlighted the fragility of life.

Eren’s behavior suggested he shared the same perspective. They had spent most of the afternoon spent in some embrace. Most of it was non-sexual and spent doing nothing more than curling against one another. The physical touch had kept Levi grounded. He had been frantic with worry during Eren’s disappearance and Eren had been the same during his hospitalization. The separation had been unbearable. It had been less than a month, but it had felt like an eternity.

“Everything okay?” Eren yawned, blinking up at him.

“Yeah.” Wrapping his arm around his mate, Levi held Eren close to him. After his avoidance of human physical contact for the longest time, the action came naturally. Having Eren in his arms was _right_. Things between them certainly had not been easy, but it was damn well worth the many sleepless nights and heartache if Eren was by his side once more. “Just thinking about things.”

“What things?”

“I’ll tell you tomorrow. You should go back to sleep. It’s…” Levi glanced over at the glowing red LED numbers, “only six in the morning.”

“C’mon… tell me.”

“Tch, shut up and go to bed, Yeager.” Levi clicked his tongue in irritation. Even in the midst of it, Eren was still as stubborn as ever. It figured that Levi had the misfortune of being stuck with a brat more hardheaded than he was. Perhaps it was merely fate. Levi wouldn’t have been able to stand being mated to someone who was too subservient and the other extreme was just as unwelcome.

Eren might be an overly emotional and stubborn brat with his head screwed on wrong at times, but he was a genuinely loving individual who could be reasoned with. And that was the part that Levi loved. It certainly did not hurt that he found Eren absolutely adorable. Eren the stubbornness was endearing at times, particularly when Eren’s lips were turned downwards, bottom lip jutting out. But right now it was working against him.

“Fine…”

Levi’s heart stung hearing the sad pang in Eren’s voice. When he had become so weak to his mate? Had it been anyone else, he wouldn’t have given a second thought to the statement, but the rules bent themselves whenever it was his green-eyed omega asking. Levi hated watching Eren retreat into the shell he was so fond of doing. “You know you don’t need to be so nervous around me.”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t need to always ask me what I want for dinner or hold back your thoughts.” Levi could recall Eren’s signature worry when inquiring about dinner, or the questions burning behind those eyes whenever they interacted. There were times when Eren wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, but it wasn’t always. Just because Levi was older or Eren’s superior at work didn’t mean he couldn’t speak out. In fact, Levi _wanted_ to hear everything Eren wanted to say. “Okay, brat?”

“Okay…” The lightness in Eren’s voice had returned.

Shifting slightly so Eren couldn’t see his expression, Levi tugged the brat closer to him, caressing the soft skin of his omega. He could feel the smile as Eren nuzzled him back. “Now go to sleep, brat.”

“Stop calling me that.” There was an irritated huff as Eren adjusted himself.

“Never.” There was no way he would give up calling Eren a brat. “Now go back to sleep, stubborn brat.” Levi was exhausted after many sleepless nights and after making love to his mate, it had come back full force. There was no doubt that Eren felt the same as he did.

“Fine, meanie…” There was a small whine, as the stubborn omega cocked his head an inch away from him.

 _Shitty brat._ Levi rolled his eyes at Eren’s act of defiance.

Lightly stroking the omega’s back, Levi could feel sleep slowly overtake the younger male as the resistance gradually melted away. There was a sleepy yawn as Eren curled back up against him. Pressing his mouth against Eren’s forehead, Levi smiled faintly in the light yellow glow of dawn.

The last year had been a roller coaster, and the one constant that remained through the chaos and uncertainty was Eren. Even if they hadn’t gotten along in the first few months, the omega’s buoyancy and innocence was like a beacon in a sea of grey. Levi was used to fending for himself and keeping people at bay, yet that wasn’t the case for Eren. The omega was his lighthouse, anchoring him amidst stormy seas and guiding him back to where he belonged.

And now that he was where he belonged, Levi never wanted to leave.

 

* * *

 

Eren didn’t know whether to be disappointed or not when he woke up alone. He was too sleepy to think properly and the sheets were still warm from where Levi had lain. He had the distinct memory of Levi murmuring something he couldn’t quite remember in ear. Feeling the aftereffects of last night’s love making with his alpha, Eren tried to snuggle back in the comforter. He could figure out the rest after he woke up.

Closing his eyes, Eren tried to fall back asleep when a loud crash sounded.

“Shit! Fuck! Son of a bitch!” The stream of curses from the kitchen startled him.

Eren wanted to go back to sleep, but it was impossible to ignore the loud noises Levi was making. Worried that Levi had reinjured his arm, he hurriedly wrapped the sheet around himself and made his way to the kitchen.

“Levi…? What are you doing?” Eren rubbed his eyes, wondering whether Levi wearing an apron was actually an illusion or not. Perhaps it was all a dream…

“Nothing. Go back to sleep.” Levi waved him away with the spatula, too busy to turn around.

“Is everything okay?” Eren couldn’t see what his husband was up to, but there was a suspicious smell of charred bacon emanating from the stovetop. “It smells like something is burning.”

“Everything is fine. Just go back to bed. I’ll wake you when I’m done.”

“You were the one that woke me up.” He whined, shuffling a little closer to his mate.

Levi turned around when he neared, quickly appraising what he was (and wasn’t) wearing and scowled. “Are you naked under that? And is that the sheet from bed?”

“Mmm, I’m sorry?” Eren brought the corner of the sheet against his face to muffle a yawn, rubbing the soft, silky linen against his skin in the process. “I was too tired and you were the one who woke me up. Wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Their combined scent permeated the condo; it was soaked in the sheets, the bed, and the very air around them. Eren’s body felt the same way the apartment smelled. Levi’s marks dotted his skin. Levi had been very thorough in claiming him, marking him as though marking his territory. Eren preened with satisfaction at achieving something similar on his dark-haired mate. He could see the reddish marks peeking out under Levi’s collar.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t an acceptable answer according to Levi. “Tch, go take a shower or sit down then.”

“But I don’t wanna…” Eren pouted, wrapping his arms around Levi and dragging the sheets around.

“Eren…”

“Leviiii…” he parroted back. “What are you doing in the kitchen anyways?” Even in his half-awake state, Eren burned with curiosity with what Levi was attempting. It certainly smelled like food…

“Isn’t it obvious?” There was a small clink of the toaster going off and two pieces of toasted bread popped out.

“No.” His mate’s lack of height came in handy as he peered over Levi’s shoulders. It was clear Levi was _trying_ to make food, but it didn’t look quite right. There was what looked to be charred bacon on one pan and some suspiciously whitish yellowish blobs flecked with black on a plate. If the blackened strips were bacon and the yellow-white mush were eggs…

“…are you trying to make breakfast?”

“Yeah? What about it?”

“But you never make breakfast…” Convincing Levi to enter the kitchen for anything other than cleaning or hot water was challenging enough.

Before Eren could make sense of the hint of color on Levi’s cheeks, the alpha turned around. “Tch, stop asking so many questions.” Fumbling with the stovetop knobs, Levi turned the heat off. “Feeling better, brat?”

“I’m a little achy, but not too bad.” Eren would have been better had his sleep gone uninterrupted. But now that he was up, he was up.

“Good.” Levi went to grab two plates from the cabinet.

‘Levi!” Eren hurriedly reached out and stopped his husband from overextending his arm. Hange had mentioned he could use it, but only for simple things. “What about your shoulder?”

“Stings a bit, but its fine.”

“But…”

“Why don’t you go pour juice or grab the butter? I’ll bring stuff over to the table.”

“Fine.” Grabbing the juice and butter, Eren couldn’t wait to taste his mate’s creations. First glance told him it wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t completely carbonized either. This was the alpha’s first time cooking for him, and he would be damned if he couldn’t try it.

It was more difficult than usual to move with the sheet around his shoulders, but he managed to bring two glasses of juice, the jam, and stick of butter to the table.

“Oi, sit down.” Levi pulled out a chair for him, taking the other one for himself. Eyeing the placement of food, he decided against sitting in his usual spot on the opposite side of the table. Though they had spent yesterday together, it wasn’t enough to make up for the lost time. Before Levi could protest, Eren plopped himself on Levi’s lap mid-sip.

“Shit! What are you doing, brat? There’s a perfectly good seat over there. I could have dropped this!” Carefully putting his cup of hot tea back down, Levi adjusted the omega’s weight on his lap.

“But I don’t want to sit there.” Eren whined playfully, securing the sheets around them as he wrapped his arms around his alpha. Levi asked him to be more forthcoming and that was exactly what he was doing. "I wanna sit with you."

“What are you? Five?”

“No. Why I can’t sit here?” Eren wiggled his butt, nestling himself more comfortably. “I’m sleepy. Feed me.”

“Fine.” Levi sighed, giving in. He wasn’t going to try reasoning with the unreasonable brat. The whining left a little to be desired, but it was satisfying knowing how much Eren desired being around him. “But you’re taking a shower after this. And the sheet needs to go to the laundry.”

“Okay.” Eren nodded happily, pulling the plate of food nearer to him as the arm around his waist tugged him tighter against his mate. Maybe Levi would be up for joining him in the shower as well…

Normally it would be difficult to sit and eat with Eren perched on his lap and those soft globes pressing into his crotch, but Levi merely wanted to enjoy breakfast with his mate at the present. Levi had never realized how enjoyable providing for and feeding his mate was. Seeing Eren content, pleased him more than he realized. Forking a mound of eggs, he dipped it in ketchup and offered to Eren who willingly ate it.

“So, Levi, what would you do if I were pregnant?” He snuggled against Levi’s chest, chewing on the morsel the alpha fed him. It wasn’t the best tasting scrambled eggs he had, far from it, but Eren appreciated the gesture and all the effort which had gone into making it. It only made him love Levi that much more.

“Hmm… that’s hard to say.” Levi mused, forking another piece of overcooked bacon and grimacing at the bitter taste. How Eren made it taste good was beyond him. “My shitty uncle wanted an heir, so it was always a possibility.” Kenny would definitely have tried to force him to impregnate Eren had things not unraveled.

“Umm… do you even want kids?”

“The truth?”

“Yeah.”

“I never wanted them before, but…”

“But?” Eren prompted, looking at his husband. As far as he was aware, Levi had always been averse to having children, but the way his alpha had trailed off suggested otherwise.

“But…” Levi was torn between dread and excitement at idea. He had never wanted children. And how could he, who had never had a decent paternal role model, be a good father? It wasn’t as if a pregnancy was without its risks either. What if something happened to his mate during childbirth? Eren was irreplaceable. Despite these concerns, he was delighted at the prospect of _his_ mate carrying a child. _Their_ child. “…maybe one day.”

“Okay…” Eren nodded, pressing his face back in the crook of Levi’s neck and inhaling the unique blend of sandalwood and musk. He agreed with the sentiment. It was much too early to consider having children. He was only in his twenties and the uncertainties in his life were only just beginning to clear up.

“I bet it’ll be a shitty brat that looks and acts just like you, though.” Levi could envision Eren running around chasing another similarly colored brown-haired brat. And since he or she would have half of Eren’s genes, he could only imagine the mess their kid would make, trekking mud and dirt from playing with plants all over the floor. Or spilling flour all over the countertop – like what Eren had done once.

“Levi! They’d be your kid too! Besides, it could also be a little boy just like you, Levi. All pouty and brooding.”

“Tch, brat.” There was a dismissive click of the tongue from Levi, but he ignored it. Opening his mouth at the offered piece of toast, Eren chewed thoughtfully, wondering what their children might one day look like. In his mind’s eye, he could see small dark-haired boy playing in the sand or a small girl with dimples and pigtails running around with a stuffed animal.

“By the way…” Eren nibbled thoughtfully, careful not to drop any crumbs on the sheet. He appreciated his mate’s thoughtfulness in making food, but if Levi was going to do this again in the future, some things would have to change. The bacon was crispy to the point of disintegration and the eggs were under salted and slightly burnt (the ketchup helped bury that though). The toast had been the only thing that had turned out okay.

“What?”

“You know the breakfast is burnt right?” He continued his line of questioning when Levi didn’t reply. “Why didn’t you ask me for help?” Staring at his husband, Eren could see ever-familiar scowl on Levi’s face. But the faint blush he had detected earlier was present as well. “Are you embarrassed, Levi? You’re turning pink!”

The only response Eren got was a not-quite-gentle smack on the ass.


	25. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long journey writing this and I'm just as sad as many of you to see it end. Yet, I'm also pleased with the end result. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to give comments, feedback, and kudos throughout - I wouldn't be able to do it without any of you guys! On a similar thread, aargle_baargle and asuka1915, you have my heartfelt appreciation for dealing with my craziness when writing and catching those stupid mistakes I leave behind.
> 
> I am always happy to talk about ideas, suggestions, and maybe even take on a writing request or two!. Just drop me a line via [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/paradoxicallysimplistic) or skype.
> 
> Until next time~

“Levi, I’m back!” Eren’s singsong voice echoed loudly through the small library. “Did you miss me?”

“Tch, not so loud, brat.” There wasn’t any reason for Eren to be so loud; he could hear just fine. Unperturbed by his mate’s return from shopping with their affianced daughter, Levi merely scrolled to the next page on his tablet. The brat was simply living up to his nickname and being an obnoxious brat.

“What kind of greeting was that, Levi?” The pout was clearly audible in Eren’s voice. Even after more than two decades of being married, Eren still retained a degree of puerile behavior. There was a period of maturity while their three children were growing up, but it had ended after they moved out. It was as if Eren was making up for their kids leaving the nest, and regressed to a younger age to fill the void and bug him. The childish neediness was mostly cute, but there were times when Levi found his patience sorely tested.

“You’re supposed to smile and say ‘welcome back, Eren. I missed you.’” Eren needled, frowning as he came into view.

“Whatever.” Levi rolled his eyes at the ridiculous demand and put his reading aside. “How was the trip?”

“Not bad. You should have joined us, honey.” There was a rustle as multiple shopping bags were put down on the armchairs. Levi made a mental note to vacuum the chairs for any dirt.

“Hell no, leave me out of that shit.” The wedding wasn’t for another two days and things were already crazy. He had a headache just from thinking about it.

“Hmm? What was that? I didn’t think you were _that_ old, Levi. Taking it easy now that you’re over fifty?” Eren’s voice was a little too coy as the brat propped himself on the arm of the armchair. Beguiling green eyes stared down at him and Levi snorted at his husband’s blatant attempt to seduce him into something he had no interest in. “You know you should stop frowning so much. You’ll get a wrinkle right _here,_ ” Eren playfully raised his forefinger to press gently right between his brows, “Levi.”

“Tch.” Grabbing Eren’s outstretched arm, he swiftly hauled his mate onto his lap before pressing his lips lightly against Eren’s. “There. Welcome back, _brat_.” A delighted giggle emerged from his omega. “What are you laughing at?”

“Still calling me that, _old man_?” Levi shook his head, snorting at Eren’s comment. They had been exchanging similar lines for years, and it had become a form of flirty banter between the two of them. “But c’mon, Levi. What kind of welcome kiss was that? I know you can do better than _that_.”

“Shut up, Yeager.”

“Make me, Ackerman.” Eren’s hands cupped his face, emerald eyes staring intently at him. As reflected by the green eyes sparkling with glee and playful shit-eating grin, the omega was clearly egging him on. “Or are you going to go all alpha male to stop me, Levi?” The tone was sickly sweet as warm breath feathered against his face. Tanned fingers pried his reading glasses off, putting them on the side table. Arms wrapped around his neck, pulling their faces less than an inch apart. “No words now? What are you going to do, _alpha_?”

“Shitty brat.” he muttered. Leaning the scant inch between them, Levi pressed his mouth against Eren’s too-tempting lips. There was a chuckle as his mate reciprocated in kind, anticipating the action and opening his mouth. Hands combed through his hair, mussing it beyond recognition. Their tongues wound around one another, slowly drowning in each other’s taste. Even after more than twenty years of marriage, the taste of his other half remained as intoxicating as it had been when they first fell in love.

“So, is that a yes?” Eren pulled away, licking his lips in parting.

“The hell? When did I agree?” He scowled at Eren’s stubbornness. Levi definitely cared about how the wedding went, but the bulk of the preparations were being done by a hired third party. There was no need for his mate or daughter to go overboard.

“I’ll make it up to you later if you come along next time.” Eren whispered coyly into his ear.

“Ho–”

“Dad!” Sophie’s  voice cut in. “Stop playing tonsil hockey with daddy! Nate and Kyle will be back any minute with Auntie Isabel and Uncle Farlan!” Levi frowned at the interruption. As usual, Eren was good at making him forget about everything else going on. All he wanted to do was spend more time in the library with Eren.

“Looks like we’ll have to wait till later.” Eren broke away first, pecking Levi on the cheek as he got off his lap.

“Tch.” Levi muttered under his breath. As much as he loved his eldest and only daughter and wanted her marriage to be a success, Eren had already spent copious amounts of time helping prepare and didn’t show any signs of stopping his involvement yet. Was it so much for him to ask for some alone time with Eren?

“Why are they even staying here?” Levi frowned at the reminder of their guests, straightening out the wrinkles in his shirt. “They could just stay at the hotel.”

“Stop whining.”

“I’m not.” Eren shot him a skeptical glance, but refrained from commenting on it.

“We both know it’s cheaper and more convenient.”

“So? They’re all adults. They can manage themselves.” It was only Isabel, Farlan, and a few of their soon-to-be son-in-law’s family for a night or two, but it was still a pain in the ass.

“Cheer up, darling. You know I love you.” Eren cooed, patting him on the cheek comfortingly. “This is for Sophie. We can make out after they’re all gone.”

“Tch.” Levi would be glad with the insanity would be finally over. While he missed the peaceful days when it was just him and Eren in the house, he had grown used to the occasional disruption whenever their children came knocking. Neither their youngest son, Nathaniel, who was studying law nor his older brother, Kyle, could cook, and would often drop by for dinner. Sophie, their eldest, visited less frequently these days, but she would call or Facetime them at least once a week. Raising three kids had put a dent in their private time, but Levi treasured the time spent with them as much as he did the time spent with Eren. They were a part of him and Eren, the result of their love.

A loud exclamation in the hallway disrupted the momentary peace. “Hey bro! You there?” Isabel’s cheerful greeting cut in. “Sophie said you were in here, but I can’t see you since you’re so short!”

“Shut up, Izzy!” Levi growled as he got up from the couch to scold his childhood friend. He had lost all hope of ever reconnecting with Isabel and Farlan, when they had dropped by unannounced one November day. It was only until later that day that he discovered Eren had been the one responsible for hiring a private investigator to find and track down. No words would ever be able to express how thankful he was towards his omega.

His life before Eren came along was drab in comparison. There was never a dull moment with Eren around. His mate had an infectious zeal for life which Levi often found himself being sucked into. Leisure activities such as scuba diving or snowboarding had never been high on his list of priorities, but it was difficult to deny his omega. Eren’s happiness was integral to his own. Even when life got hectic or stressful, seeing Eren’s smile was enough to make Levi forget the difficulties in the real world.

 

* * *

 

“Oi Eren, here you go.” Levi’s smooth deep voice came from behind him.

Eren looked back, accepting the small flute of champagne with a wide smile. “Thanks.”

Scanning the merry partygoers, he easily caught sight of his daughter laughing with her husband. Eren had never seen her happier. Sophie was the epitome of a bride deeply in love with her groom. There was no telling what would happen in the future, but her relationship and marriage was normal compared to unconventional start with Levi.

Even if things had worked out well with Levi, it could have ended very poorly. The first year was crazy, but things had gotten better after that. Levi had been promoted to his rightful position as a managing partner a year later, making their lives busier than ever. The new suppressants and contraceptives were thankfully effective, dampening his pheromones and sensitivity significantly. As long as Levi didn’t tempt him, Eren had no difficulty functioning normally and going to work. It was a different story at night, though, when they went at it like bunnies, or as close to it as they could get.

Like any other relationship, they had their share of differences which required compromises to get through, but it was worth it. Their kids were special and Eren loved them dearly, but there would only ever be one alpha for him. Nothing could replace Levi in his heart. Love certainly wasn’t a panacea, but it smoothed the occasional disagreements they had. Even on the toughest days when emotions were heated, those three words had the power to dissolve a good number of tense moments.

“Fucking Four-eyes…” The epithet grabbed his attention. Following Levi’s gaze, he caught sight of Hange at the bar asking for more shots. Eren nudged his husband lightly, amused at Levi’s displeased expression. Despite the joyous occasion, Levi was still as cantankerous as ever. No doubt, attributable to the large throng of people milling around.

Like Levi’s abrasive personality, there were other things which had not changed over the years. After raising three children, all of whom grew taller than their father, height was still a sore spot for Levi. His diminutive stature was easily noticeable when they had taken a family portrait last year. They had ended up selecting one with the children standing behind them, but going through the proofs while Levi fumed had been fun. It was adorable how such a calm and collected individual could react so powerfully to something immutable. Those were the types of precious moments Eren savored.

Nudging his mate lightly, he nodded towards Levi’s glass. “How many glasses have you had?”

“Who knows? It’s not like I’m going to get drunk.”

“Really now…” Raising his brow skeptically, Eren hid a small chuckle, sipping the effervescent beverage. “Don’t lie, Levi. We both know what happens when you imbibe a little _too_ much.” It took quite a bit of alcohol and neither of them drank that much anymore, but it had happened before. Alcohol never showed on Levi’s face, but when they were in private, things became _really_ frisky. “Not that I haven’t _enjoyed_ it.” Eren leaned over to whisper, biting the shell of his mate’s ear in the process.

“Whatever.” Levi clicked his tongue at the reminder. “So what were you thinking about?”

“Nothing. Just that seeing Sophie’s wedding reminds me of our own wedding.” There was a fond smile as Eren’s eyes found the newlywed couple on the dance floor.

“Tch, you’re getting senile, brat.”

“You’re older than I am, old man.” Levi might have passed his prime age numerically, but he certainly did not look like that to Eren. His mate had grumbled about getting old when getting reading glasses – something Eren enjoyed teasing Levi about – but Levi still looked as if he was in his late-thirties. There were also a few rare strands of grey hair amongst black and tiny furrows between Levi’s brows, but neither revealed his mate was over fifty. Instead of gaining a beer belly, his husband remained well-built and lean – and even more attractive in Eren’s eyes – than when they married.

“Something must be wrong with your head, Eren. Our wedding was a fucking disaster. Your dad wanted the Ackerman name for money and my uncle was an asshole.”

“Fair enough.” He conceded. When their wedding had been arranged, his only hope had been making the best out of a disastrous situation. He hated his father for forcing him into a marriage with an emotionless jerk, but more than two decades later, Eren was glad Levi had been the one at the altar with him. He couldn’t imagine being tied to anyone else but his grumpy, short-statured alpha. After weathering the tumultuous storm that was their first year of marriage, there wasn’t anything they _couldn’t_ get through together.

“But what about when we renewed our vows?” Eren hummed in remembrance. In lieu of their third anniversary, they had rented a lakeside cabin and renewed their vows with a handful of close friends in attendance. The evening had been fading to pink and purple, accentuating the orange glow reflecting on deep blue in the background. Those days by the lake were glorious. Most of it had been spent walking along the water, sleeping in, and frolicking in bed. And Eren was sure that was when he had conceived their first child. “You can’t say you didn’t enjoy that.”

“That wasn’t our wedding though.”

“I never knew you cared so much about semantics, Levi.” Eren goaded.

“Shut up, Yeager.”

“Whatever you say, Ackerman.” He smiled to himself, ignoring the dark scowl on his husband’s face. “Can you imagine how far we’ve come though?”

“What about it?” There was another grunt as Levi grimaced at the attendees.

While his husband was a surly old man with extreme standards for cleanliness, Levi was also very affectionate and gentle. Levi was like one of those grandpa-types who complained about anything and everything because he didn’t want to come across as being mushy. It was yet another reason Eren loved his mate so much. To this day, the alpha’s smallest gestures were enough to warm his heart. In particular, Eren found his mate’s actions, such as the arm which had innocuously snaked around his waist, endearing.

Resting his head sideways against Levi’s, Eren wrapped his hand around his mate’s, lingering briefly on the gold band matching the one he wore, before entwining their fingers together. “Who says money can’t buy love?”


End file.
